Doctor and Patient
by tika12001
Summary: When Jane breaks both her wrists at the same time and Maura offers to look after her, it leads to a change in their relationship that apparently everyone saw coming... except for them! Slow burn Rizzles. Slightly cracky and OOC, but hopefully funny. Don't take too seriously. :-P See inside for my inspiration and also my increasingly insane author's notes. :-)
1. Prologue

_Title: Doctor and Patient_

_Author: tika12001_

_Rating: K_

_Summary: Jane breaks both her wrists at the same time, so Maura steps up to look after her. What she doesn't realize is just how terrible a patient Jane really is. Slightly cracky but (hopefully) quite funny. Hope you enjoy. See author's note for my inspiration :-P _

_Disclaimer: not mine, never will be, make no money, please don't sue, etc etc_

_AUTHOR'S NOTE: Okay, so when I was 8, I managed to break both my wrists at the same time. And one day recently my wrist was aching (I didn't have two full length casts like Jane does in this story... my right was in a full length, while my left was just a short cast up to the elbow... I think they SHOULD have put it in a long cast, as I now suffer from arthritis in my left hand and wrist but whatever, I digress), and I was thinking about Rizzoli and Isles, and, well, this happened._

_**THIS STORY IS NOT COMPLETE **Let me just say that right now. I have been very unwell for like four or five weeks now, lots of painkillers every day, so I've kinda lost my muse for this story... I'm in a bit of a grumpy mood constantly due to being in ridiculous amounts of pain so I have temporarily misplaced my sense of humour. I have written five chapters (I think) for this story though, about 10,000 words, so just let me know what you think and give me ideas when I prompt for them and I will definitely try to get this story complete ASAP. :-)_

_Anyway. Enough rambling. Read and review please._

*****PROLOGUE*****

"I don't understand why I have to take time off."

Maura sighed heavily. "Because you have two broken wrists."

"I can still do desk duty," Jane argued back stubbornly, attempting to cross her arms across her chest and only managing to smash the two casts together, resulting in a gasped expletive.

"_Please_ be careful, I don't want you to have to go back to hospital before we've even left!" Angela lectured, and Jane glowered up at her.

"I want. To go. To work." Jane waited for a response but when none was forthcoming, she decided to continue verbalising her lengthy list of complaints. "Plus I don't know why I have to _wheeled_ out to the car. There's nothing wrong with my _legs_."

Shooting an apologetic glance to the young female candy striper who was pushing Jane's wheelchair, Maura hissed, "Because it's policy, now shush!"

"Oh, you did _not_ just shush me. I am injured, and you are shushing me. That's just great."

There is a sigh of pure exasperation behind her and Jane craned her neck, trying to see who it came from. Maura was looking up at the ceiling, apparently in an attempt to stop herself from rolling her eyes, while her mother had no such qualms, and was rolling them in such abundance that it appeared they were going to roll right out of her head shortly. Jane faced the front again and huffed deeply. No response, so she huffed again. "Are we at the car yet?" she asked finally, when there was no response to her second huff either.

"We're still in the elevator, Jane."

"I _know_ that, Maura."

Another loud sigh of frustration and Jane sent a glare over her shoulder, in no doubt about whom it came from this time. Maura stared back at her unrepentantly and Jane slouched a bit further in the wheelchair, grumbling under her breath. As the elevator doors slid open and the candy striper pushed Jane out to the car, she distinctly heard her mother whisper to Maura, "I hope you've got drugs handy to knock her out with... my Janie is a _horrible_ patient."

END PROLOGUE

_Only a short one for now, just to get you started. Please review :-)_

_Oh, and I'll post chapter one in approx. ten hours after I get some sleep... you won't have to wait long :-)_


	2. Chapter 1

_Ha, so I was totally gonna say something to the guest reviewer 'Ty' but other reviewers did it for me... you guys rock. :-P Now..._

_CALLING OTHER AUTHORS... is anyone else having problems with their Doc Manager? I click on copy and paste and this tiny ass little box comes up that deletes half my words, so then I have to click on edit to fix it! Random. Anyways. Chapter!_

*****WEEK ONE*****

"I can work."

"Really, Jane? We're going to start _this_ again?" Maura asked, walking around the couch, placing things within easy reach.

"Well, I can! It's stupid the doctor saying I can't work. I can type."

"Jane, you _broke both of your wrists._ I think that warrants a little down time!"

Jane glowered. "I can type," she repeated stubbornly, and watched in bemusement as Maura growled under her breath, stalking out of the room. Jane craned her neck trying to see what Maura was up to, but unfortunately the effort was fruitless. Huffing impatiently, she leaned forward and tried reaching for the book that was on the table.

"_OW!"_ Okay, so that wasn't going to work... both arms were encased in full plasters to above the elbow, so Jane's attempt to automatically straighten her arm was both pointless and painful. Shuffling forward on the chair, she got her bum right on the edge of the seat before she leaned forward. There was a precarious moment when her centre of balance teetered worryingly to the left, but she managed to straighten herself out as she grabbed the book between the fingers on her right hand. "Ha!" Jane mumbled triumphantly, scooting herself backwards on the couch once more. Lifting up the book, she clumsily managed to open the pages to the bookmark... that promptly fell on the floor. Jane glared down at it. "Fuck it, Maura can get it later," she mumbled, sitting back and picking up where she left off, which unfortunately, was very close to the bottom of the page. When she clumsily attempted to turn the page by lowering the book into her lap for some stability, her less coordinated right arm swung across, knocking it to the floor along with the bookmark. Jane growled.

"What's wrong?" Maura asked, walking back into the room, carrying her laptop.

"Oh nothing, Maura, absolutely nothing. I just _love_ having my arms made completely useless. It's _fantastic_. You know, you should really try it."

"A bad attitude will not help the recovery period."

"There's nothing wrong with my attitude," Jane grumped, as slowly her eyes trailed down to the laptop. "What's that for?"

"I want you to show me how you can type."

Jane frowned at her suspiciously. "Why?"

"If I find your typing abilities to be acceptable and not likely to cause you further damage to the healing bones, it is possible I will be able to get you back to work sooner."

Jane perked up. "All right, lay her on me. I'll show you what I got."

Maura bit her lip. "Just... one minute." She raced around, placing pillows and blankets around Jane's feet, cushioning the landing space for the laptop should it fall. Jane raised an eyebrow.

"Really?" she asked drily.

"There we go!" Maura said, seemingly not hearing or perhaps simply ignoring Jane's gripes as she gently sat the laptop down in Jane's lap.

"Right," Jane said, looking down at the computer. She was faced with her first problem already... how to open the damn thing. She managed, but with elbows poking out in random directions as she struggled. Finally it was open, she had powered it on, and she was, reasonably effortlessly, using the touch panel to move the mouse about the screen, finally opening a word document. She very quickly discovered that the way her arms were plastered did not make for easy typing... her hands were at entirely the wrong angle. So, hunching forward, she stuck her elbows out a bit wider and tried that. Yes, that seemed to work. Except that she could barely see the screen, and now her hands were kind of _sideways_ on the keyboard, and her back was starting to hurt from hunching, but... no, it was fine.

"Okay, type what I tell you," Maura said, the minute it seemed Jane was as settled as she was going to get.

"Lay it on me," Jane said again cockily, trying to suppress a wince as her back twinged unhappily.

"Ready? Okay. I want you to type 'I bought $5 (with a dollar sign, don't just type the words) worth of oranges at (use the symbol, like in email addresses) Bakers and Sons (use an ampersand, don't just type the word)."

"Really? That's it?"

"That will do for now."

Jane stuck her tongue out between her teeth and began to click away at the keyboard. A good two minutes later: "Done!"

Maura noted with a fond smile that Jane was so convinced of her own good work that she had barely glanced at the screen. Maura peered over her shoulder.

"I bought 45 woeth og oranges 4 bakerd &sins."

"What? No, I didn't type that!" Jane protested, then looked down at the screen. "Oh."

Maura took the laptop away. "Yes, well... you won't be typing for a while."

"I can type! I just have to be more careful."

"And you don't think BPD will get a _little_ bit frustrated when it takes you five hours to type half a report that is riddled with typing errors?"

Jane slumped back in the chair. Man, this was gonna _suck._

_R&IR&IR&I_

"Why are you squirming?"

"I'm not squirming."

Maura raised an eyebrow. "Uh huh. Of course you're not. How silly of me."

"You know, it's really weird when you use sarcasm. Stop it."

"I'll stop using sarcasm when you stop."

Jane frowned. That wasn't fair. "No, that's not fair! I was using it first!"

Maura let out her 75th exasperated sigh for the day. "Why. Are. You. Squirming?"

"I'm not."

Silence. Apparently Maura was intending to wait it out until Jane burst out with the reason... a technique Jane is entirely sure Maura learnt from her. Well, it wasn't going to work. Nope.

Not even a little bit.

Maura rolled her eyes (Jane was beginning to feel vague concerns for her eye socket muscle things, because she was sure they'd never had such a workout as they had been getting in the past few days) and headed over to the sink to begin washing the dishes from lunch.

Which, of course, meant that she turned the water on.

"Eeeemmph..." Jane squealed under her breath, cutting herself off forcibly at the end as she shifted yet again on the chair.

The water shut off.

"Jane, will you please just admit that you need to go to the toilet?"

"I'm fine," Jane said, her voice several octaves higher than usual as she crossed her legs in (what she hoped was) a decidedly casual fashion.

"Uh huh," Maura said, with a disbelieving look on her face. She turned back to the sink.

Jane was sure that _that_ much splashing was _entirely_ unnecessary.

"Mauraaa," she finally whimpered, and the water shut off again.

"Yes, Jane?"

Jane didn't like the innocent look on Maura's face one little bit.

"Nothing."

The water turned back on. Jane crossed her legs. She uncrossed them. She recrossed them. She hummed to herself. She started to sing softly. She stood up. She sat down. She crossed her legs yet again. She wriggled. She uncrossed her legs. She sat on the edge of the chair. At the back of the chair. She recrossed her legs.

"Oh my God, Jane, you're like a 2 year old! Will you _please_ just admit to needing to go to the toilet?!"

"I'm fine."

Maura sighed (76th time) and, with an evil smirk, reached over to the CD player that sat on the kitchen bench. She pressed play, and the beautiful, relaxing sound of rain filled the kitchen.

Relaxing, that is, if your name is not Jane Rizzoli.

"Maura!"

"What? I thought you said you were fine?"

Jane grunted, she groaned, but finally she admitted, "Fine. I guess I _maybe_ need to go to the toilet."

"Thought so. It's 1pm, you haven't been since 8am when your mother left. Let's go."

Jane shot to her feet. "No, no, I'll be fine. You are _not_ helping me."

Yet another exasperated sigh. "Jane, I am a _doctor._ A _pathologist_, no less. Believe me, everything you've got, I have seen before. _Numerous times._"

"Still doesn't mean you need to see mine."

Maura shook her head. "Fine. Fine! Go by yourself. See if I care."

"I will." Jane strutted out of the kitchen proudly, but as soon as she was out of Maura's line of sight, she immediately starting walking with her thighs pressed tightly together, feet slightly separated, imitating a penguin walk.

She _really_ had to go.

"Ha, see, I can do this. I can _so_ do this. I've peed almost my whole life by myself, I'm not going to let a couple of broken wrists stop me now!" The pep talk seemed to help, bolstering her confidence the whole walk to the bathroom, but that confidence was shattered the second she turned to close the door and started trying to pull her pants down. "Okay, so this is tricky," she mumbled, trying to hook her thumbs in the waistband. Finally, she managed by doing one side at a time, pushing them and her underwear past her hips then shimmying them down far enough so that she could sit on the toilet without risk of wetting them.

She didn't know how she was going to get them back _up_ again, but whatever, she'd cross that bridge when she got to it. For now though...

"Ahhh..." Jane sighed happily as the waterfall was released, and she reached over to grab some paper, managing to tear off some one handed.

"Huh." No matter how she squirmed, reached or grunted, she could not quite reach the area the paper needed to go. "Fine," she mumbled, resolving just to sit for a while so that she could... ahem... 'drip dry'.

When she deemed enough time had passed to avoid any unpleasant dampness in her underwear, she stood up, dropping the small amount of paper into the toilet and flushing it. Now for the task of pulling up her pants... Jane leant over, awkwardly managing to snag the fabric in both hands between forefinger and middle finger. She started pulling. The material slipped from her grip. "For fuck's sake!" She tried again. Again, the material slipped. "Fine, I'll try one handed," she mumbled, stretching to the side so that she could get a better grasp of the material with her left hand. She pulled. The pants didn't move. "What the hell?"

Oh, she was standing on them. She lifted her foot, and nearly fell over. "Shitty fuck fuck fucking shit!" Ha! Both pant legs were free now. Once more, she stretched down with her left hand, almost kneeling in her efforts to grab the pants, and started pulling. Success! They were moving! But... only up to mid thigh. "FUCK!" She squirmed down to start pulling them up with her right hand. Again, mid thigh was the best she could do. Her arms couldn't bend, encased as they were in plaster, and, Jane sighed, she was stuck.

"MAURA!"

"Yes Jane?" The answer came far too quickly through the door, and Maura sounded far too amused for Jane's liking. She suspected Maura had been listening the whole time, giggling to herself.

"Can you call Ma and tell her to come home? I need help."

Another sigh (Was that her 78th or 79th now? Hmm). "Jane, your mother is at work, a good 20 minutes drive from my home. I, on the other hand, am right here. How about I help you instead?"

"No. Friends do not help friends pull their pants up," Jane scolded through the door, then, as an afterthought, "or pee. Or wipe their hoo-ha's after they have peed."

"Were you able to use toilet paper?"

Jane mumbled under her breath.

"What was that?"

"_Will you please just call Ma?_"

"Really? You're really going to have her travel here every single day, three or four times, when you need to go to the toilet?"

"No..." Jane mumbled. "I can hold it and only go once or twice."

"Jane."

Jane threw her head back and groaned. Her pants slipped back down to her knees. "FINE. Get in here."

The door cracked open. "All you had to do was ask."

With quick, efficient movements, Jane's pants and underwear were pulled back up securely around her hips. Maura looked at Jane's hands. "Well, normally I would say that you need to wash your hands (or your fingers, in this case) due to the risk of cross-contamination; however, I don't think your hands got anywhere near your urine so we might just leave it."

"You're so funny, Maura," Jane said flatly, as Maura's eyes sparkled in mirth.

"I am?" Maura sounded hopeful.

"No." Jane stomped out of the bathroom.

END CHAPTER ONE.

_You know the drill, read and review please (also, thanks for all the well wishes... much appreciated xoxo)._


	3. Chapter 2

_Thanks for the awesome response to the last chapter! It wasn't actually my favourite... I'm pretty sure this one is my fave... so thanks for the awesome response and I hope you continue liking this story. And also? Seriously? SO FREAKING GLAD I WAS ONLY 8 WHEN I BROKE MY WRISTS. This shit was embarrassing enough back then. Can't imagine having to go through it all as an adult..._

*****WEEK TWO*****

"I've decided I'm feeding myself from now on."

Angela and Maura exchanged a long suffering look.

"What? I'm an adult, there is absolutely _no_ reason why I should be spoon fed like a child." Jane glowered down at the sandwich her mother was holding. "Even children are allowed to feed themselves _sandwiches_."

"Need I remind you that you have _two arms in plaster_, Jane?" Angela asked, and Jane frowned.

"I'll be fine."

"Oh, for God's sake. I can't watch." Angela dropped the sandwich triangle on the plate and threw her hands up in the air, standing up. "How you have survived one week with this woman, Maura, I'll never know."

"I'm staying," Maura said, a small smirk on her face as she watched Jane. Angela simply shook her head and left, while Jane smiled in triumph. Now, how to get the sandwich into her mouth... she was sure it wouldn't be _that_ hard, after all, she had been feeding herself for years. All she had to do was pick it up... ha, that was easy... and bring it to her mouth.

"Huh." No matter how far she strained her neck and back, the sandwich still remained a frustrating five to six inches away. She dared a glance at Maura, who was unsuccessfully trying to cover the fact that she was finding this hilarious.

"Do you need some help?" Maura asked finally, having managed to calm down her repressed laughter enough to speak.

"No," Jane replied stubbornly. All she needed was something to transport the food from her hand to her mouth... hmm. Her eyes scanned the kitchen, finally lighting up when she saw Maura's ridiculously fancy wooden box for her ridiculously fancy wooden spoons. "Right! I've got it now!" She stood up and walked over to the box, ignoring Maura, who had turned to watch her movements. She sat back down, carefully loading the spoon up with a sandwich triangle. She shot a triumphant smile at Maura as she lifted the spoon to her mouth... and the sandwich fell off. Huh. She set the spoon on the table again, put the sandwich _back_ on it, picked it up again. This time, the utensil got within an inch of her mouth before the sandwich fell off yet again.

Maura snorted.

"Shut up, it just takes practice." Jane loaded up the spoon for the third time, but immediately dropped it before even really managing to pick it up properly. She growled.

"Do you want some help?"

"No!" Fourth time lucky, surely... Jane loaded up the spoon, carefully picked it up, aimed it for her mouth... and found it stopped about half an inch short. She stuck her tongue out, poking the sandwich. It fell off.

Maura snorted again.

"Shut up!" Jane stared at the sandwich, deep in thought. "Ha! I've got it." She loaded up the spoon again.

"Jane? What are you doing?"

"Shush. Frankie and Tommy and I used to do this all the time. I just need to concentrate." Granted, the conditions were a little trickier now, and the sandwich a little bigger than the popcorn they used to practice with, but she was sure she'd be fine. She picked up the spoon and, concentrating deeply, flung the sandwich towards her open mouth.

It missed.

By about two foot.

"Don't even," she warned Maura, who had followed the trail of Jane's gaping mouth as she tried to catch the sandwich, and now looked as though she was about to have a coronary with the laughter she was suppressing. Jane loaded another sandwich onto the spoon, got it into position.

She missed again, the sandwich sailing merrily up and... landing on her head. Jane tried to reach it but couldn't, and ended up giving her head a vicious shake to get it off.

"Jane..."

"No, I'm doing this Maura. I'm not going to spend the next five weeks being pandered to like a baby."

Maura raised a hand to cover her mouth and Jane glared at her suspiciously. "Okay, I think it's just that the sandwich triangles are too big. So if I make them smaller, it will be fine." Carefully, she ripped one of the remaining triangles in half. It kinda ended up being more like one third but _whatever_. It would be fine. She placed it on the spoon and, carefully, oh so carefully... flung it towards her mouth. It landed on the floor behind her.

"Jane..."

"Nope, don't say a word. Trying again." Maura used her fingers and thumb to pull down at the sides of her face as though trying to rid it of the smile, but it didn't work. Jane glared at her as she loaded the second last piece of bread, peanut butter and fluff onto the spoon. She flung it and... success! It was in her mouth!

She also couldn't breathe cause she kinda threw it a bit too hard and it went too far down her throat, blocking her airway, but whatever.

Maura darted over and whacked her on the back several times, finally dislodging the sandwich, now rather wet and sloppy, sending it across the room.

"Are you finished making a mess of my kitchen now?"

Jane pouted. "No."

"Would you like me to finish feeding you your sandwich, and maybe make you a fresh one?"

"No."

Maura sighed, picking up the food and holding it towards Jane, who obediently opened her mouth. "It's like looking after a two year old, I swear..."

_R&IR&IR&I_

"You need a bath."

"No, I don't."

"Yes, you do! You smell, Jane!"

"Gee, thanks."

"It's true." Maura picked up a towel and two large, oddly shaped objects. "Come on, let's go."

"No."

"Jane, your mother is out of town for three days. I really do not want her coming home to a stinky daughter!"

Jane frowned at her. "So now you're saying I'm stinky?"

Maura propped a hand on her hip. Jane found herself absurdly jealous of the move. "I _just_ said you smelt."

"You didn't say I was stinky though."

Maura rolled her eyes. "It's the same thing."

"No, it's not." Jane jabbed her pointer finger at the remote, changing the channel on the TV.

"Jane, if you weren't going to let me help you do any of these things, why did you agree to me taking time off to look after you? Your mother could have done it!"

Jane scoffed. "Ha, as though I'd want to spend 6 straight weeks with my mother. No thank you. I'd kill her, casts or no casts."

Maura huffed in frustration (an interesting thing Jane had noted: the first week, Maura had sighed when frustrated with her. Now she was up to huffing. Jane wondered what she'd be doing by week 3...) and crossed her arms. "But you won't let me do anything except make you food, feed you occasionally, and bring you things!"

"Oh, which reminds me, can you bring me my book?"

Maura huffed again. "There's nothing wrong with your legs."

Jane rolled her eyes.

"Come on, let's go!" Jane didn't move. "Really? I have seen people naked before. I am a _doctor._ I have even seen _you_ naked."

"What? When?" Jane asked, horrified.

"When we had the bacterial meningitis outbreak and we had to have decontamination showers at work."

"You didn't see me naked; I was hiding behind a container."

Maura sighed (huh, she did still sigh. Sigh and huff. Siff? Suff? Hugh? No...). "Yes, but remember how you moved to the window to chat to Frost and Frankie? Yeah, I could see your naked back and posterior."

"My butt? No, you... oh. Oh my God, Maura!"

"It doesn't matter, Jane! Need I remind you that I. Am. A. Doctor? Let's go!"

Jane glared. Maura glared back.

Jane pouted. Maura glared.

Jane gave her her best bad-cop look. Maura glared.

"Fine! Let's go." Jane stood up, grumpily stomping towards the bathroom. "Stupid Maura and her stupid bath and stupid casts and stupid bones."

Maura rolled her eyes, following behind.

"Okay, let's get you undressed."

"Whoa, you aren't gonna, you know, buy me dinner first?"

Maura raised an eyebrow.

"Fine, just do it. Get me naked."

Working with clinical detachment, Maura quickly stripped Jane of her clothes (Jane thought she saw a glance of rather more than clinical interest towards her breasts, but she was _pretty_ sure it was just her imagination). Maura started running the bath, running her hand underneath to check the temperature before putting the plug in, then she picked up one of the weird shaped objects.

"What's that?"

"It's a Shower-Beauty Waterproof cast cover!" Maura said, holding it up. It was pretty much a giant arm shaped bag with a thumb piece, attached to what almost looked like a piece of plumbing equipment.

"That goes on my _arm?_"

"One goes on each of your arms. Let's go."

"Maura, how much did you pay for those?"

Maura mumbled under her breath.

"Say what?"

"They are $34.95 each."

"What, really? When you could have just used plastic bags and tape for like 2 bucks?"

"I was worried that such rudimentary tools would be insufficient and your cast would get wet! The risk of infection greatly increases with a wet cast, and..."

Jane just shook her head, effectively cutting Maura off mid rant as she efficiently fitted Jane's arms in the long arm covers. When all was done, Maura helped Jane into the bath, grabbed a sponge and started cleansing her body.

"Maura?"

"Hmm, yes Jane?" Maura asked, thoroughly involved in her task, concentrating deeply as she drew the soapy bubbles over beautiful olive skin.

"Promise me something."

"Okay."

"When this is over..." Jane trailed off, and Maura finally looked up at her.

"Yes?"

"Let's never speak of it again."

Maura laughed. "Of course, Jane."

Jane pouted and closed her eyes as Maura quickly soaped up and rinsed off her body, deciding to firmly believe in the notion of 'if I can't see you, you can't see me'. She heard Maura laugh under her breath, but chose to ignore it.

Finally, she felt Maura's hand under her armpit, assisting her to a standing position. "Come on, let's get you dressed."

"Ooh, I get to put clothes back on now? Yay!" Jane opened her eyes and attempted a little hop of joy in the bath, almost succeeding in falling over. The only thing that saved her was Maura's quick actions of her grabbing her arms.

"_Please_ try not to hurt yourself again. I don't think I could survive more time cooped up with an injured you!"

"Sorry," Jane mumbled, then thought about what was said. "Hey...!" Maura simply threw a spare towel over her head, blocking Jane's line of sight, while she continued drying off the rest of Jane's body.

_END CHAPTER TWO._

_Review please :-)_

_Oh! Good news, I'm starting to write this story again. Almost have the sixth chapter complete. Will still need some ideas somewhere down the line I think, but I'll let you know when to get your thinking caps on :-P_


	4. Chapter 3

_So I totally spent almost the whole day at hospital yesterday. Woo. And still no closer to knowing what's wrong with me. Oh, but they gave me another prescription for Endone. I love Endone at the moment... it is my friend :-D :-P_

_TL;DR version: whinge, complain, Yay pain meds! :-D_

_Anyways! Enough chatting! Onto the chapter! Hope you enjoy :-)_

*****WEEK THREE*****

"I'm bored."

"Watch TV."

"Nothing on."

"Read a book."

"Don't wanna."

"Go outside."

"And do what?"

"Stop annoying me," Maura muttered under her breath, then, out loud, "Go on the computer."

"Don't wanna."

"Read a book."

"You already said that."

Maura groaned. "Seriously, Jane? I am not your mother, and you are a fully grown adult. I'm sure you can find _something_ to do."

There was silence for several minutes. Finally...

"I'm hungry."

"No, you're not."

Jane frowned. "Yes I am, how do _you _know if I'm hungry or not? Can you see into my belly?" Maura rolled her eyes. "Hah, didn't think so."

"You are not hungry, Jane, you are bored. We ate lunch half an hour ago, and you ate more than me. I'm not hungry, so you are _definitely_ not hungry."

Silence, then, "Am too."

"Are not."

"Am too."

Maura groaned, closing her book and throwing it onto the couch (week one: sighing, week two: huffing, week three: groaning. It was very interesting), finally turning to Jane, a frown on her face.

"Fine. You're hungry. But I'm not making you food, nor am I feeding you, so you will just have to wait."

Jane thought about the wooden spoon.

"Nope, I hid it. And the other long handled utensils."

"What? Why would you do that? How'd you know I was thinking about that?"

"Because, Jane, I don't feel like cleaning my entire kitchen after you unsuccessfully try to feed yourself yoghurt or that high fat ice cream you insisted I buy."

_Mmm, ice cream._

"No, I am _not_ feeding you ice cream."

_Humph_. Jane flung herself backwards on the couch, an arm coming up to cover her eyes.

"OW!"

Every damn time.

Maura rolled her eyes. "So what do _you_ want to do?"

"I don't know! You're supposed to entertain me!"

Maura laughed. "No, I'm not. I'm here to assist you, not to entertain you."

"Can't you do both?"

"Shall I do a skit then? A funny little dance, or maybe sing a song?"

Jane sat up. "Okay!"

Maura simply raised an eyebrow.

"Okay, maybe not the song part. You can't sing."

Maura simply tilted her head at her, raising both eyebrows.

"Fine! You know, it's scary how good you're getting at the sarcasm thing. Also the non-verbal thing. Scary."

"Thank you."

Jane huffed and flopped back on the couch again, lifting her arm to cover her eyes and... "OW!"

Maura picked up her book again. "You're going to have a nice bump on the head to go with those broken wrists if you don't stop doing that."

"Shut up."

There was silence in the room for several blessed minutes, then... "Ugh! I'm _bored!_"

"Hmm, you know there is a saying that I've heard about boredom... it is quite accurate and succinct, and although it is aimed at teenagers, I feel it is appropriate in this case. Let's see if I can recall it." Maura hummed, tapping her finger on her chin, then, "Aha! _Always we hear the plaintive cry of the teenager. What can we do? Where can we go? The answer is GO HOME! Hang the storm windows, paint the woodwork. Rake the leaves, mow the lawn, shovel the walk. Wash the car, learn to cook, scrub some floors. Repair the sink, build a boat, get a job. Help the minister, priest, or rabbi, the Red Cross, the Salvation Army. Visit the sick, assist the poor, study your lessons. And then when you are through - and not too tired - read a book. Your parents do not owe you entertainment. Your city or village does not owe you recreational facilities. The world does not owe you a living...You owe the world something. You owe..."_

"Okay, that's enough."

Maura groaned. "Jane..."

"You know, it's kinda weird that you know that saying off by heart."

"Off... by heart...?

Jane rolled her eyes. "That you've memorised it then."

"Oh." Maura picked up the book and turned the page, "Well, I have always been blessed with a good memory."

"Never would have guessed," Jane mumbled. "Anyway, it's rather difficult to do _any_ of those things with _two. Broken. Wrists._"

Maura sighed, turning the page in her book. Jane frowned. She was almost _certain_ that Maura could not have read the page's contents in the short amount of time since she'd turned the page last. Jane dropped her head back on the couch and glared up at the ceiling.

"I'm bored."

"Watch TV."

"Didn't we just have this conversation?"

Maura groaned again, throwing her book down on the couch. "Oh my God, Jane! I'm going upstairs and meditating. You are stressing me out!" Jane sat up and watched as Maura almost stomped out of the room, then, when Maura had disappeared, she flopped back on the couch again. A few minutes later, she stood up and followed behind Maura, finally finding her in the yoga room.

"Maura? I'm bored."

The only noise that could be heard was Maura's frustrated half scream.

_R&IR&IR&I_

"Time to get your arm replastered!" Maura chirped, entirely too cheerfully for the early hour of the morning.

"Shhh. Too early," Jane mumbled, eyes still closed as she obediently raised her arms so that Maura could pull the straps of the bra down the casts and turning so that she could do up the back clasps.

"Jane."

"_Shhhh_."

"It's 9am."

"Too early."

"Actually, no, it's 9:15, and we are running late."

"_Shhh_."

"Jane, I think you are getting lazy."

Jane's eyes popped open indignantly. "Am not!"

"Normally, you would have been at work for at _least_ an hour by this point, not yawning and complaining about how it's 'too early'."

"It _is _too early."

Maura shook her head. "Uh huh. Come on, singlet on."

"Don't wanna."

"It's like dressing a 2 year old... _Now_, Jane."

Jane huffed, rolling her eyes, but obediently lifted her arms once more, allowing Maura to pull the singlet over her casts and over her head.

"Shirt time," Maura said and Jane grumbled, lifting her arms again. "You know, if you didn't wear so many layers, this wouldn't be such an issue every morning."

"It's _cold._"

"It's spring. It's not that cold."

"Is too. Not as cold as winter but still cold."

"So what, you wear 18 layers instead of 20?" Maura said, poker-faced and Jane gaped at her.

"Shut up."

Maura shook her head again (groaning _and_ shaking her head were the flavours of the week for week 3, it seemed). "Come on, 3 layers down, another 15 to go."

"You know, I don't like it when you use sarcasm. It's weird."

"Well, stop teaching it to me then."

Jane frowned. "Don't wanna."

"Then don't complain."

"But I _like_ complaining."

"I've actually already come to that conclusion myself, believe it or not."

"Humph." Jane allowed Maura to assist her with putting the rest of her 'top' layers on, then watched as Maura knelt down at her feet, grabbing her pants. "This is weird."

"Yes, Jane, we have had this conversation. In fact, we have had this conversation _numerous_ times."

"It's still weird." The pants were drawn down her hips and Maura put a hand up for Jane to rest on while she lifted first one foot, then the other so Maura could pull the pants off completely.

"Mm-hm. Do you want to wear a skirt today?"

"Every single day... no! I do not want to wear a skirt!"

"But Jane..."

"No, Maura, you can wear a skirt and freeze your legs and ass off, but I want pants. End of discussion."

Maura huffed, heading over to the cupboard and pulling out a pair of pants, coming back over and assisting Jane in getting into them.

"This sucks."

"You've also said that numerous times."

"Shut up."

Maura stood up, rolling her eyes as she pulled Jane's pants up all the way, doing up the button and zipper. When she lifted her head, her eyes were almost on an equal height with Jane's, and the two women found themselves involved in a little staring competition, until...

"Jane, Maura, you ready to go?" Jane rolled her eyes as her mother's loud voice carried up the stairs.

Maura simply shook her head and smiled. "Almost!" she called, leaning down to get the triangular bandages, quickly and efficiently supporting both of Jane's arms in a sling.

"I hate wearing the slings out in public."

"Would you rather I take them off you?" Maura asked earnestly, and Jane rolled her shoulders slightly, the muscles already aching from the extra weight of the casts. She couldn't deny that the slings certainly helped support her muscles with the extra strain.

"No," she admitted finally. "No, let's go."

An hour later found them waiting in the hospital, Jane impatiently tapping her foot.

"If I'd known they were going to make me wait, I would have stayed in bed!" she burst out with suddenly. Maura leaned over to get another magazine.

"Lazy," Jane distinctly heard her say, under the guise of a cough, and her eyes narrowed dangerously.

"What did you just say, Maura?"

"Hmm?" Maura was saved from having to lie (or, in her case, avoid the truth _and_ avoid a lie so as to not get hives) when the doctor suddenly appeared.

"Jane Rizzoli?" he called and, with a glare sent over her shoulder at Maura for good measure, Jane stood up, following him into the little room. Only when the doctor hesitated in closing the door did she notice that Maura had slipped into the room as well. Jane glared at her a bit more for good measure.

"So, you've been x-rayed, everything's healing up nicely... I do believe it's time to go onto fibreglass casts!" he said cheerfully, and Jane stared at him suspiciously.

It was _way_ too early in the morning for anyone to be that cheerful.

Even if it _was_ nearly midday.

Suddenly what he had said permeated into her brain and she perked up. "Fibreglass... they're the ones you can't write on, right?"

"As long as you use a fairly broad tip permanent marker, you can still..."

"Good, you can't write on them," Jane cut him off, glaring down at her current casts which were adorned with all sorts of random drawings, words that Maura seemed to think she ought to learn, as well as, for some reason, a picture of a dancing skeleton complete with an extremely disproportionate penis.

She was blaming Frankie for that one.

"Oh Jane, did you hear that? I can still write down your 'word of the day' on your cast!" Maura said gleefully. "You won't be able to lose it then!"

"Oh I dunno," Jane mumbled. "Pretty sure I've 'lost it' already."

"So what colour do you want?" the doctor asked, and Jane barely had to think about it.

"Black."

Maura deflated slightly, and Jane felt a little bit guilty at first. That feeling went away, however, when Maura perked up. "That's okay, I'll just use either a white paint pen or white out to draw on your casts!"

Jane groaned. The doctor approached her, the electric cast cutting saw in hand. Jane recoiled. "What are you doing?"

He looked perplexed. "Taking off your casts?"

"With _that?_"

Maura plopped down beside her. "Don't worry, Jane, they're quite safe. The chances of him cutting you are relatively tiny."

"Gee, thanks Maur. I feel _so_ much better."

"You're welcome!" Maura replied happily, and Jane rolled her eyes.

"Fine. Do it. Whatever."

He turned the saw on, and Jane winced at the sound of the little blade spinning. Squeezing her eyes shut against images of dismembered bodies (granted, it would be next to impossible to dismember a body with such a tiny instrument but _whatever_), she grabbed Maura's hand with her still plastered one and waited for the doctor to be done.

Afterwards... "I won't tell anyone, you know."

"Won't tell anyone what?" Jane asked, leaning on Maura's arm as she got into the car.

"That you're a scaredy kitten when it comes to getting your casts taken off."

Jane squeezed her eyes shut again. "Scaredy _cat_, and no I'm not."

"Are too."

"Am not."

"Are too."

Jane groaned.

_END CHAPTER THREE_

_Random factoid: the first time I got my casts taken off (just the temporary ones the doctor gave me; when I got to the hospital, they gave me the more permanent ones), the doctor actually managed to cut me slightly with the saw. And then he wasn't even sorry. Just told me to stop complaining. An 8 year old girl! Luckily everyone else who took off my casts were absolutely lovely and very careful and professional... but of course after that first experience, I was still terrified every time. So I thought I'd work a bit of that into this story. :-P_

_Anyways... review! Do it! Please? I'm not above begging... :-P_


	5. Chapter 4

_Thank you for all the reviews and notifications! Love it! But can someone have a look at 'Jaqui's' review and translate it for me please? I'm very uncultured and only speak English lol! I believe it is in Spanish, though I could be very, very wrong. Though I'm pretty sure I recognise the word 'histeriqueo' as 'hysterical', which can only mean good things... I hope :-P_

_Oh, I want to put something in one of the upcoming chapters about HOW Jane broke her wrists (I've been meaning to do it but forgot, but a reviewer asked if I was going to put it in... thank you to that reviewer!), but I'm not quite sure what to say she did. I don't really want it to be work related, i.e. chasing a suspect etc... I'd rather it be something slightly humiliating that Jane is tempted to lie about (so that Maura can embarrass her by piping up with the truth), but I'm open to suggestions!_

_Anyways, slightly more serious chapter this time... slightly._

*****WEEK FOUR*****

"Maura..." the plaintive cry arose from the lounge room and Maura rolled her eyes as she pushed herself to her feet. Three weeks down, three to go...

"Yes Jane?" she asked, walking into the room.

"I have a problem."

Maura studied her from head to toe. She was standing somewhat... awkwardly, with her thighs seeming to be pressed together rather tightly. "Yes?"

"Umm," Jane said, then proceeded to mumble under her breath.

"Sorry?"

"I said that I... I..."

"Jane." Maura didn't try to hide the exasperation in her voice anymore. Honestly, she loved this woman to death, but by _God_ was she annoying when she was injured.

Wait, love?

Maura shook her head. Never mind. Love as a friend. She was sure that was what she meant.

"I think I have my period."

Maura raised an eyebrow. "I thought you had Nexplanon inserted."

Jane winced. "Yeah, I... might have gotten it removed."

"Why?"

Jane got defensive. "Look, is it really any of your business what contraceptive I use should I choose to use any?"

_Should she choose to use any?_ Maura could tell that Jane hadn't meant to let _that_ little jewel slip, simply judging by the way she was suddenly refusing to look her in the eyes.

"Jane."

Jane ignored her, staring up at the ceiling in apparent fascination.

"Jane."

Slowly the gaze dragged downward, until she was staring at a point approximately two feet above Maura's head.

"_Jane._"

The gaze trailed even further down until it hit Maura's hairline. She sighed. That would have to do.

"Why did you get it removed?"

"Um... I don't know?"

"So, you went to the doctor and said 'I'm not sure why I want this removed, as it is not causing me any adverse reactions, _plus_ it is keeping me from falling pregnant, but what the hell, remove it anyway'?"

Jane seemed startled, snapping her gaze to Maura's instantly. "_Please_ don't do that. It's creepy."

"Do what?" Maura asked, honestly perplexed.

"The sarcasm thing. The sarcasm thing is _mine_, and it's _weird_ when you do it."

Maura sighed. "Jane."

"Casey wanted a baby." The words were spit out and Jane's eyes were shut, as though she was hiding from Maura's reaction.

Maura's jaw dropped. "Um... so did _Jane_ get a say in this? I thought you didn't want kids."

"I don't. I mean, I do, kind of, maybe, but..."

"But?"

"But Casey wanted them."

Maura rolled her eyes up to the ceiling in an effort to keep her temper intact. "So you just... _agreed_?"

"Yes..."

"And where is Casey now? Where has he been for the past five weeks or so?"

"Afghanistan..." Jane sounded uncharacteristically timid and Maura felt like throttling her.

"I just..." she shook her head, deciding to save that argument for another time. "Fine. Whatever. Bathroom, go."

"Maura, I..." Jane started, but Maura shook her head, forcibly taking her friend by the shoulders and pivoting her, then pushing in between her shoulder blades to get her to start walking.

"Don't want to hear it. March."

_R&IR&IR&I_

"And today's the day you decided to put me in _yellow_ undies."

"_I_ didn't decide anything, you know perfectly well that you choose your own clothes," Maura replied, continuing in an undertone, "no matter _how_ much I try to assist you."

"Well, whatever. Now they're ruined."

Maura held up the soiled underwear in one gloved hand. "No, I know several tricks to get blood stains out of clothing. I think I can fix them."

"And this isn't humiliating _at all_."

"Oh good, I'm glad you're getting more comfortable with me assisting you," Maura replied, watching with amusement out of the corner of her eye as Jane rolled her eyes.

"That was sarcasm."

"It was?"

Jane started to reply then stopped, raising an eyebrow at Maura sceptically. "Waaait..."

"Yes Jane?"

Jane raised an eyebrow. "Okay, whatever. You are getting too good at that poker face thing. Thank God you still break out in hives when you lie, otherwise I'd never know if you were serious." Maura laughed as she retrieved another pair of underwear out of Jane's drawer and quickly stuck a sanitary pad to it before holding it out for Jane to step into.

Jane wrinkled her nose. "A _pad?_ What am I, a grandma?"

Maura raised an eyebrow. "You really want me to attempt to put a _tampon_ inside you?"

Jane looked horrified. "Never mind." She stepped into the underwear quickly, and Maura pulled them up, then helped her get into a fresh pair of pants too. Jane squirmed uncomfortably.

"Feels like I'm wearing a nappy."

"Oh Jane. It is quite a thin pad. Don't be overly dramatic."

"I'm not," Jane protested, pouting. "But it _does_ feel like wearing a nappy."

Maura sighed, gathering up the soiled clothing and proceeding to take it to the laundry. Jane followed.

"Isn't there something you can do to stop... you know... _it?_"

"Your menstrual cycle?"

Jane rolled her eyes. "_Yes._"

Maura thought for a few seconds. "No."

"No? What do you mean, 'no'? Isn't there some injection you can give me or something?"

Maura sprayed the clothing items thoroughly with stain remover before throwing them both into the machine, setting it to a cold wash cycle and adding laundry powder. "Maybe if you had informed me _before_ that you had your contraceptive removed, I could have done something, but now we will just have to let nature take its course." She didn't try to hide the disapproval in her voice.

"_Maura!_"

"_Jane!_" Maura copied Jane's tone of voice and body language, finding it quite amusing how a woman in her late thirties could so effortlessly and seemingly unknowingly emulate the actions of a child prone to tantrums.

Jane huffed. Maura didn't turn around to look at her, simply started straightening things up, waiting for her to speak.

"Okay,_ fine_. _Maybe_ I should have thought about it a bit more before I got it removed. Happy?"

Maura simply turned around, raised an eyebrow, and left the room. After a few seconds, she heard Jane stomping along behind her.

"You're stomping."

"I do not stomp!"

"Yes you do."

Jane huffed, throwing herself onto the couch. "Whatever. Why are you upset with me?"

"I'm not upset."

Jane sat forward, looking intently at Maura's chest. Maura rolled her eyes. "I'm not lying. I'm not upset. I'm... disappointed."

"Why are you disappointed then?"

"No reason."

Jane raised an eyebrow and deliberately leaned forward to peer at Maura's chest once more.

Maura covered her chest, swatted Jane and sighed. "It's just... I don't understand the person you become around Casey."

"What do you mean?"

Jane looked honestly baffled, so Maura tried to explain. "It's like... when you're with him, you aren't the strong, confident Jane I know. You're... weak."

Jane gaped in horror. "I am _not_ weak."

"No, I didn't mean that, it's just that you... you _act_ weak. When you're around him." She sighed, finally sitting down beside Jane and putting her arm over the top of the casted one, touching their fingers together lightly. She smiled when Jane automatically curled her fingers down, seeking more contact, and entwined their hands as best she could with the cast in the way. "You are so strong, Jane, but you act like... like a damsel in a bad romance novel when you're around him. I just..." she took a deep breath, looking down at their joined hands, "I just worry that if you stay with him, you'll eventually lose yourself. You'll lose everything that makes you... Jane. And I'll miss you."

Maura sniffed, horrified to discover that tears were rapidly filling her eyes. Jane pulled away from her, and Maura felt a keening sense of loss... up until there was a box of tissues thrown in her lap and a casted arm working its arm back under Maura's, entwining their fingers again. There was silence for a few minutes while Maura wiped her tears away and blew her nose, all one handed. Finally...

"Why didn't you tell me this earlier?"

Maura sniffed. "I didn't want you to hate me." She blew her nose again. "And you're in love with him. Aren't you?"

Jane was silent for several long moments. "I don't know."

"Oh." Maura looked down at their joined hands and stroked what she could reach of Jane's hand gently. "Well, maybe you need to think about it before you decide to pursue a relationship with him."

"Yeah. Maybe."

"I mean, it's somewhat amusing the way you change personality when he comes around, but I still like you just as you are... even when you are a 'pain in the butt'." She perked up. "Did I use the expression correctly?"

Jane kicked her.

"Ow! Shall I assume I did?"

"Smart ass."

_END CHAPTER FOUR_

_I'VE COMPLETED CHAPTER SIX NOW! Exciting stuff, people! AND I even have an idea of where this story is going... a vague idea, but hey, still an idea! And yes, it __Rizzles __will most certainly be endgame (I will change the genre to humour/romance when the Rizzles starts properly making an appearance). Anyway... read and review, you know the drill. :-) OH! And start coming up with ideas people! Thinking caps time! How do you envision this story ending? Let me know please :-D_

_And once more, thank you for all the well wishes... I'm hanging in there :-)_

_OH and to the guest reviewer who seemed to be claiming all knowing knowledge over broken wrists... no, if the break is bad enough, they DO put you in a full cast, and have you actually tried putting your arm at a strict 90 degree angle and reaching your mouth? It is, quite literally, impossible. If you claim you can do it, you are either bending your arm beyond 90 degrees in your attempts or you have a neck the length of a giraffe's. I HAD BROKEN WRISTS. I KNOW THIS STUFF. But thank you for your review because it actually made me crack up laughing... something I'm sure was probably not your intention but anyway. :-P_


	6. Chapter 5

_I hate the Jerry Springer Show and never watch it, but when it's been on in other peoples homes, I do find that it is oddly compelling. Weird._

_And also to the guest reviewer... *sigh* once more. I was in a full cast for a broken wrist. It is not unheard of. And yes, perhaps I took dramatic license in that I gave Jane TWO full length casts, but it is most certainly not taking dramatic license to say that full length casts are occasionally used to treat broken wrists. It happens. Perhaps not that often, perhaps only say a third or even a quarter of the time, and it is most certainly dependent upon the severity of the fracture, but it does happen._

_Anyways, my apologies for grumpiness... I hope you enjoy this chapter!_

*****WEEK FIVE*****

"What on _earth_ are you watching?"

Jane changed the channel quickly. "Sports."

"Oh, you are not." Maura reached over and, after a quick tussle, scored ownership of the remote.

"Hey, not fair! Judge! I'm handicapped and she _tackled_ me..."

"My house, my remote," Maura said, and stuck out her tongue. Jane gaped.

"You did _not_ just stick out your tongue at me. What are you, five?"

"Better than you, acting like a two year old."

"I do _not _act like a two year old!"

Maura simply raised an eyebrow before pointing the remote at the TV and clicking back to the station Jane had previously been secretly enjoying.

"Jerry Springer? _Really?_"

"You've been hanging around me too much, you're sounding too much like me," Jane grumped, flopping back on the couch even as her eyes immediately focused back on the TV, watching with interest.

"I don't understand why people _watch_ shows like this, let alone go on them."

Jane turned around to argue when she noticed Maura's eyes fixated on the screen. "Yeah, you look like you're having a _lot_ of trouble understanding."

Maura swatted her on the arm before walking around the back of the couch and sitting down. "What's the show about?"

"Really? You've never heard of Jerry Springer?"

"Of course I've _heard_ of it, I just don't understand what it's _about._ I mean, what is the purpose?"

Not taking her eyes off the screen, Jane pointed at the bowl of popcorn that Maura only just noticed was sitting on the table in front of her. Rolling her eyes, Maura leaned forward, grabbed a handful and tipped the handful into Jane's waiting, open mouth.

Jane chewed a bit then opened her mouth. Maura flinched. "Don't even _think_ of speaking until all that popcorn is gone."

Jane rolled her eyes, deliberately chewing, gnashing her teeth in over exaggerated movements, finally swallowing with a loud, audible gulp. She opened her mouth to Maura. "There, happy now?"

Maura raised an eyebrow.

"Fine, whatever. Popcorn?"

Maura crossed her arms.

"GAH. Okay, so the Jerry Springer show started in like '90 or '91, and it was _waaaay_ different to what it is now. Like, at first it was just a show about, you know, issues and political talk. Boring sh... crap. Anyway, then NBC purchased it the year after but ratings were really low and there was threats of it being cancelled, so they decided to revamp the whole thing and started bringing in topics that created, you know, sensationalism. Like 'my boyfriend turned out to be a girl' or 'I married a horse'." Jane snorted. "A lot of stations refused to air _that_ particular episode." She turned to look at Maura, who was staring back at her suspiciously.

"You had memorised all that information about this show?"

Jane shifted uncomfortably. "Hey, you know something about _everything¸ _Poindexter."

Maura continued to stare suspiciously. "You've been researching the show, haven't you?"

Jane went to throw her hands up in the air, remembered the casts, decided it was too much effort so just went for an exaggerated shoulder shrug instead. "What? It's not like I can do much else!"

Maura shook her head, turning back to the screen as she muttered beneath her breath, "Could have read the entire works of Shakespeare. Could have learnt Finnish, or Russian, or Yugoslavian. Nope, instead she chooses to learn the history behind every TV show in existence."

"Why would I want to learn Finnish? _Or_ Russian, _or_ Yugoslavian?"

Maura ignored her.

"Plus, I do _not_ know the history behind every TV show in existence."

"Daytime TV is what I meant."

"I don't know that either!"

Maura sighed. "When did Days of Our Lives start airing?"

"November 1965," Jane blurted, before just as quickly snapping her mouth shut, looking horrified at her own disobedience.

"Uh-huh."

Jane waved one finger accusatorily in Maura's general direction. "No! You don't get to take on that holier-than-thou attitude when you _tricked_ me!"

"How did I trick you?" Maura was honestly curious, but Jane just shook her head, refusing to look at her, so she decided to simply lean up against Jane instead, staring at the TV mindlessly. "So what's this one about then?"

Jane shot her a look out of the corner of her eye. Finally decided that Maura was genuine in her curiousity, she decided to answer. "Okay, so that girl, there... the one with the... yeah. See her? Yeah, she slept with _that_ dude..."

Maura's nose wrinkled in distaste. "Oh, what an... interesting decision."

"But _that_ dude is also having sex with _that_ girl. The girls don't know that they are both seeing that dude, but they are also sleeping together."

Maura gasped. "It's a love triangle!"

"More like a love square, cause see _that_ dude, standing off stage? Yeah, he's the father of _that_ girl, and he's also having sex with _that_ dude and the_ other_ girl."

"And none of them know about the others?" Maura asked, watching the TV in fascination as the older gentleman came on stage. None of the three fighting people had yet noticed him.

"Nope."

One of the girls spotted him and flew into a rage when the two men fell into each other's arms, kissing passionately. "Oh my..."

"See why it's interesting viewing?"

"These types of people actually exist?" Maura asked, and Jane smiled, bumping into her side companionably.

"Don't worry, Maura, I'll keep you safe from all the sex crazed maniacs out there."

"You will?"

Big hazel eyes stared up trustingly and Jane found herself gulping. "Um. Sure."

"Okay." Maura snuggled into Jane's side and, after long deliberation, Jane bought up one arm and carefully laid it along the back of the couch, her hand gently caressing Maura's shoulder.

Both women sighed contently.

_R&IR&IR&I_

"Um. Maura?"

"Yes?"

"Can you... uh... can you come out here for a minute? Please?"

"Where's 'out here'?" Maura asked, putting the bags of shopping down in the floor and starting to pack away the groceries.

"Outside! In the backyard." A slight pause, then, "For God's sake Maura, the shopping can wait two minutes!"

Maura looked up, gazing around the kitchen in shock, finally catching a glimpse of Jane through the back door. She looked... wet. Maura set her jaw, leaving the groceries on the floor, and walked out into the backyard.

Into a swimming pool?

"Jane." Her voice was hard and unforgiving. "What happened here?"

"Umm..." Jane's eyes darted about the backyard as though searching for an excuse.

"Jane."

"I was just trying to help!"

Maura lowered her chin, and Jane bit her lip nervously.

She found it very amusing how Jane still managed to flail with such restricted usage of her arms.

"Well, it's just that... you know, you've been busy helping me, and the gardener called this morning and said he was sick and couldn't make it..."

"How'd you answer the phone?"

"Speakerphone," Jane answered, in a 'well, _duh_' tone. Maura rolled her eyes and flapped a hand for her to continue.

"... and I noticed that the plants were looking a bit dry so I came out to water them."

"With both of your wrists in casts."

"They're fibreglass casts! They're not... quite as bad as the others with water..." Jane winced, knowing her logic would not go down well.

Maura decided, for her own sake, to take a deep cleansing breath before asking any more questions.

She _really_ didn't want to go back to jail for murder.

"So what happened?"

"Umm..." Jane looked down at the hose that was lying innocently on the ground. Maura looked down too, and gasped.

"What happened to my hose?"

"Umm..." Jane opened and shut her mouth a few times while Maura stared at her, waiting impatiently. "It's evil?"

"My hose is evil."

"Yes?"

Maura let out a long, slow breath. "Why is my hose evil?"

"Cause it wet me?"

"Why are you answering my questions with questions?"

"I don't kn...?" Jane began but quickly cleared her throat and changed tone of voice mid word, "...know."

Maura counted under her breath to 10. "Why has my hose split down the middle, Jane?"

"Maybe it's old."

Maura waited.

"Maybe I thought I could make a sprinkler hose with it."

Maura nodded. _That_ sounded more like it. "Why?"

"Cause... well, I had all these good intentions but Days of Our Lives was due to start and they left it on a cliffhanger last episode and I _really wanted_ to know whether Mandy was going to keep Gerald's baby or not considering she found out he's her half brother and..."

Maura frowned. "What kind of shows _are_ these?"

"... so I thought I'd save a bit of time and cut holes in the hose, and then, you know, buy you a new hose later. So I cut holes and it worked really well, cause you have awesome water pressure here, did you know that? Anyway, so I went inside but then I could hear this weird noise so I waited till an ad break came on and came out here and..." Jane pointed to the hose laying innocently on the ground, looking rather as though it had been gutted, "_that_ happened."

"It split just as you came outside?"

Jane nodded. "See? Evil."

Maura rolled her eyes. "You know, you could have just attached the sprinkler."

"You have a sprinkler?" Jane asked, mouth open in shock.

"Of course I have a sprinkler."

"Oh. Right. Of course. I knew that. So, uh..." Jane raised both (still slightly dripping) arms, "... little help?"

With a long suffering look on her face, Maura disappeared inside and came back out with several towels. One she carefully used to trap Jane's curls, the other she used to start patting down her body. "You are aware that this warrants another trip to the hospital, aren't you?"

Jane pouted. "There's nothing you can do?"

"No."

With a huge put-upon sigh, Jane agreed. "Fine. But I'm blaming your evil hose."

"You don't think they'll blame the person who put holes in said hose, namely you?"

"Nah, I'll explain how I was doing a nice thing."

"Uh huh."

"And the hose had it in for me."

"Right."

"Evil thing."

"Of course, Jane."

Maura quickly found that even with both arms casted, even when both of those casts were wet, Jane was still very fast and she still knew _exactly_ where the ticklish spot on Maura's side was.

END CHAPTER FIVE

_Ok, so I have one more chapter after this and then updates will slow down considerably, I'm afraid. I will definitely complete this story, but I haven't got as much time to write at the moment as I've been going to bed at like 8pm lately (instead of my old bedtime of maaaaybe 10pm, usually closer to 11 haha), so my apologies in advance!_

_Oh, also it is entirely possible that there have been massive advancements to the common cast in the... 19? holy crap, it's been 19 years since I had casts omg wow, that's amazing, Katie shut up and keep typing this sentence, you're getting distracted... years since I had casts, but WHATEVER. I had the shitty old ones that got ruined if they got wet so JANE GETS THEM TOO DAMNIT. lol_

_Review please :-D_


	7. Chapter 6

_So this is the moment of truth... is my sense of humour still intact? This is the only chapter I've written since getting really unwell and in pain, so let me know how it holds up compared to the other chapters :-) :-P_

*****WEEK FIVE/SIX*****

The doctor looked very sceptical when Jane regaled him with the evil hose story, arms flailing (as best they could) and all, but he simply shook his head, patted her condescendingly on the shoulder and sent them off to X-ray to check how the bones were healing.

He looked understanding.

_Very_ understanding... Jane suspected that Maura had heavily implied that she was mentally impaired or something. She glared at her accusingly, but Maura refused to look at her, simply walking alongside her, staring at the walls as though they were the most fascinating thing since the dawn of the dinosaurs.

Oh God, Maura probably _did_ think they were more interesting. She'd probably say something about how _fascinating_ it was how the painted little penguins were portrayed and how they clearly indicated the artist's life long desire to be a seal or some shit.

Seriously, Maura's brain scared her sometimes. It was _weird_.

After complaining and flopping her arms about as dramatically as possible during the process of X-raying her arms, it was time to go back to the room with the saw. Jane stared at it suspiciously as she scooched her ass back on the seat. Maura sat down on the seat next to her, holding a magazine (it was a Popular Science magazine but she had lost her grip on it a few seconds earlier and Jane was _almost certain_ she saw _another_ cover of a magazine surreptitiously hid between the pages, suspiciously starting with the letters 'Cosm'), glanced at Jane and rolled her eyes.

"Scaredy cat," she mumbled and Jane immediately turned her glare (now dialled up to 'ferocious') on Maura instead, but before she could say anything, the doctor walked in, holding the images of Jane's bones.

"Good news!" he started, but stopped walking abruptly when he saw the glare Jane was giving Maura. "Uh, everything okay?"

"Fine," Maura said airily, closing her magazine quickly and standing up, coming over next to Jane. Jane, with some difficulty, swatted her seeking hand away.

The doctor nodded wisely. "Ah. Right. Well, broken bones pose an issue in any relationship, particularly in this circumstance..."

"What?" Jane asked blankly, staring at him.

"You are two women, and you have two arms in plaster. It is quite normal that your sexual relationship will have suffered during the past five weeks. However, the end of the road is near! Your bones are healing nicely, and I think that it is time to move onto short casts now."

"Short casts?" Jane perked up excitedly.

"We're not in a relationship," Maura added at the same time.

_Oh right. Yeah, probably should have said something about that too..._

"You aren't?" The doctor looked honestly baffled, as though he had just been presented with news of life shattering effect.

"No," Jane replied forcibly, to make up for her earlier lack of response, then rolled her eyes when Maura immediately sent her a hurt look. Shooting her a 'what the fuck?' look in response, Jane reiterated, "No, we are not."

"Oh. Uh... my apologies."

"So, short casts!" Jane quickly said, after a brief awkward pause. The doctor nodded.

"Yes, your bones have healed to the point where I'm satisfied that short casts will be satisfactory for the rest of your time in plaster."

"Excellent. Right, doc. Let's do this thing."

Maura had kept her hands by her side ever since Jane swatted them away from her, but as soon as the saw started up, Jane's eyes widened and she reached out for a comforting touch.

Maura rolled her eyes, but laced her fingers with Jane's while the doctor worked.

_Not a scaredy cat, not a scaredy cat_, Jane repeated to herself as she bit her lip.

_R&IR&IR&I_

"I have short casts now!" Jane said giddily, staring down at her newly replastered arms.

"_Yes_, Jane, but listen to the doctor!"

_Whoops._ Jane stared guiltily up at the doctor, who was looking somewhat exasperated. "As I was saying, your elbow joints have not been worked in over four weeks..."

"Four weeks, six days," Maura piped up helpfully, and Jane rolled her eyes.

"Right, four weeks, six days," the doctor repeated, with seemingly no frustration or annoyance whatsoever over the correction. _Maybe it's a doctor thing_¸ Jane mused, "so they will be rather stiff at first. Work them slowly. Do not immediately expect to be able to straighten your arms... it will take time."

"Yup."

"Jane."

Jane looked up at the doctor, only just realizing that she had been staring in enamoured glee at her casts again. "Yes?"

"Did you hear what I told you?"

"Elbows."

The doctor sighed. Maura sighed. "I'll make sure she's careful, Dr Tereman."

_Ah, Dr Tereman is his name then!_

"Thank you. Let me know if there's any issues, otherwise I will see you in just over a week and we can hopefully take those casts off completely!"

"We will see you later, Dr Tereman, and thank you."

"Thank you, Dr Isles. Bye Jane."

"Short casts. Elbows!" Jane called out happily over her shoulder as Maura pushed her out of the room unceremoniously.

"Let's go, Jane."

"Short casts!" Jane said giddily, immediately attempting to straighten her arms and cursing loudly at the instant pain.

Maura rolled her eyes.

_R&IR&IR&I_

_*three days later*_

"I have short casts now!"

"Yes, Janie, I know."

"You know what that means?"

Angela sighed heavily. "What?"

"I can go back to work soon!"

"On desk duty," Angela piped up helpfully.

Jane deflated somewhat. "Yes, on desk duty."

"You know it's for the best Jane. It's going to take time to build up your arm muscles again when you get the casts off," Maura said, opening the car door so Jane could get in.

"Yes, I know." Jane pouted, grabbing the seatbelt and pulling it across her body. Maura swatted her hand and pulled it across the rest of the day, clicking it in place. When she did, her hair fell across Jane's face.

And, of course, Jane did not smell it. At all.

And she _certainly_ didn't find the smell appealing.

You know, if she HAD smelt it.

Which she hadn't.

"So, where we going?" Jane asked, trying to rid herself of the confusing thoughts that were plaguing her.

"The hospital," Maura answered, straight faced and Jane stared at her in confusion.

"Wait... no, we're not! We just went there a few days ago! They said they don't need to see me again for..." Jane paused, calculating, "another five days." She slumped, dejected, then suddenly perked up, "But then they take my casts off!"

"Assuming everything's healed okay," Maura cautioned, but Jane waved away her concerns.

"It'll be fine. So, where we going?"

"You'll see."

Jane opened her mouth to argue, shut it, opened it again. Stared out the window. Looked at Maura. Stared out the window. Twisted to look at her mother. Looked at Maura. Sat forward and frowned.

"Calm down, Jane, you'll recognise where we're going long before we get there." Maura turned to look at Angela. "She's like a two year old."

"Stop comparing me to a two year old," Jane grumped, but both Maura and Angela ignored her.

"I know. I don't know how you've coped with her these past few weeks."

Maura looked at Jane, and her eyes softened into a fond smile. "Oh... it hasn't been too bad."

Jane smiled back, and Maura started up the car, slowly backing out of the driveway.

A few seconds silence, then, "I want to drive."

A frustrated huff from the backseat. "You _can't_ drive."

"I know, Ma! I just want to."

"But you _can't_."

Jane growled, managing to slump down in her seat regardless of the seatbelt. She carefully laid her arms across her stomach and glowered out the window.

Maura laughed softly, and Jane felt the glare slowly lift from her face.

She loved Maura's laugh.

She deliberately didn't think about what that meant.

_R&IR&IR&I_

"We're going to work!" Jane declared gleefully, sitting up and watching with interest as all the familiar landmarks went by.

"We are." Maura was smiling in her seat still, and Jane had been having trouble keeping her eyes off her for the past 15 minutes.

It was probably something to do with how they'd spent so much time together lately.

She was sure, absolutely _positive_, that it was nothing more than that.

Whatever, she was not thinking about it now.

"So why haven't we visited here before now?" Jane asked, and Angela leaned forward in her seat.

"Because you were banned."

"What? I was not banned."

"Maura banned you."

Jane shot a look at Maura, who was deliberately not looking as she pulled into a park in front of BPD. "Why did Maura ban me?"

"Because she was worried you'd do something like try to talk her into letting you back early or something."

Yup, Maura was _definitely_ avoiding eye contact.

"Maura."

Maura looked out the window. "What a lovely day."

"Thank God, otherwise you'd have me wearing those plumb-y arm things outside."

"They're waterproof!"

"They're... stupid. Looking. They look stupid!"

Maura frowned.

"So why'd you ban me from work? Don't you think you can trust me?"

Immediately, Maura turned to Jane, eyes wide and earnest. "Of course I can trust you, Jane, I just don't trust you to look after yourself properly!"

"So, you trust me... but you don't trust me. Right."

"Right. No, I..." Maura trailed off, looking baffled as to how to continue, but Jane took pity on her.

"Whatever. Come on, let's just go upstairs. I wanna see Korsak and Frost!"

Maura quickly undid Jane's seatbelt while Angela hopped out of the car and held out a hand to her for assistance. Jane ignored it, shooing her mother away, but happily took Maura's hand when it was offered.

Angela rolled her eyes and stalked away.

Jane just grinned and pretended to stumble, resulting in Maura's arms coming around her in a kind of embrace.

Life was good.

END CHAPTER SIX

_If anyone is curious, I was very much like Jane when it came to getting a short cast on my arm. The doctor spent a good 5-10 minutes warning me that my elbow would be stiff, I barely heard a word cause I was so excited to be in a short cast, attempted to straighten my arm as soon as we left the hospital and yelled and cried. Mum was just rolling her eyes at me going, 'didn't you LISTEN?' haha_

_Oh, and the hose thing happened to a girl at work. She wasn't wearing casts though lol, but she did put waaay too many holes in the hose and it split down the middle and drenched her. Hilarious. :-P_

_Now, as mentioned in the last chapter, updates will be a lot slower from this point on. I will definitely complete this story, but I don't have as much time to write at the moment so I'm afraid you will have to be patient with me for a while. Feel free to keep sending me through ideas of where you see this story going... I have a pretty good idea in my mind of how it's all going to pan out, but I love ideas! :-D_

_Anyways, as always, please review! :-)_


	8. Chapter 7

_Random, completely unrelated to story rant so if you don't want to read, feel free to skip ahead to non italicised words (unitalicised? not italicised? eh, anyway). I hate hate hate it when people tell me not to cry. Like, someone was asking me today how I was feeling and if I knew what was wrong with me and how I was feeling about it all... like ten thousand questions, and it was obvious this person just cared about me, and she's awesome, so I was like 'crap, sore and cranky, no idea, see first answer, but how are you?' and then I got frustrated and burst into tears. As I do. And she said 'don't cry'. I'm like bitch, I will cry if I want to, it is a healthy expression of emotions. Keeping it inside is what is bad. But the good thing is that I got so cranky about being told not to cry that I stopped crying anyway. haha! So yeah, if someone is crying, just say 'it's gonna be okay, I'm here for you'. Oh, and don't tell me stories of how it could be worse. I know it could be worse but the pain I am dealing with is still pretty damn bad so just shut it, kay?_

_Okay, rant over, and I apologize for blathering onto you guys about it all... Onto the chapter :-P_

*****WEEK SIX CONT*****

"So, Jane, there's been something I've been meaning to ask you..."

Jane had been spinning in her chair giddily but now stopped and stared at Korsak suspiciously.

"How did you manage to break both arms at the same time?"

"Wrists," Maura piped up, and all the occupants of the room turned to her, eyebrows raised. "Jane broke her wrists. Not her arms. You see, when a person breaks their wrist, they potentially damage the scaphoid, radius or ulna, while with a broken arm..."

Jane cut her off. "See, Korsak, broken wrist. I broke my scaffold, radio and ultra."

Maura rolled her eyes. "You did not break all three, Jane, you broke..."

"I broke all three."

Maura sighed.

There was silence in the room for a few seconds, then Korsak spoke up again. "So... how'd it happen?"

"She was looking at me," Maura piped up happily once more, but looking abashed when Jane sent her a death glare.

Frost, who had been sitting quietly up until this point, snorted. Jane glared at him, and he started coughing, but she was _sure_ she heard a word interspersed with all the fake noise.

_Whatever_. Not thinking about that.

Stupid Frost and his stupid all-know-y-ness.

"I was _not_ looking at you, Maura, I was... well..."

"You tripped over Bass, because you weren't looking at where you were going," Maura added, apparently under the impression she was assisting Jane in her explanations. Jane's glare quickly assured her that she was _not_ assisting. At _all._ Maura looked back at her all wide eyed and innocent looking.

Jane groaned.

"Okay, so... I was over at Maura's house, and we were having a movie day."

"We watched Titanic, which is a very well made movie, but terribly unrealistic, I must say... I mean, the size of that door! All it takes is some _extremely_ basic calculations to figure out that they both could _easily_ have fit on the door, and their combined weight would _not_ have been enough to sink it. Oh, we also watched The Notebook, and I cried. Jane cried too, though she pretended she just had dust in her eye, and..."

"_Maura!_"

"What?"

"Don't help!"

Maura opened and closed her mouth a few times, then thankfully decided to keep it shut. "I'm going to get some tea," she declared instead, practically flouncing out of the room in her indignation.

"Get a coffee for me!" Jane hollered after her. Maura waved an arm in recognition. Jane wasn't sure if that meant she was actually going to _get _her coffee, or whether she'd still be stuck with Maura's fancy-ass tea, but whatever.

"So, uh..." she paused. How on earth was she going to describe this without making it seem like she was checking out Maura?

She wasn't, you know. It was just that... well, Maura's new dress was very form fitting and the way it clung to her hips made it...

She _really_ wasn't checking her out.

Honestly, she wasn't.

"It looked like Maura had something on her dress so I started to move closer to get a better look but Bass moved in front of me and I tripped," she finally rambled out in one breath triumphantly.

"What was on her dress?" Frost asked, looking quietly amused.

"What? Oh... uh..." she floundered, "Nothing. A, uh... a trick of the light, I guess."

Frost nodded knowingly, and Jane glared at him. Korsak continued to look honestly baffled, for which she was supremely grateful.

"So, you just... _happened_... to look at Maura's ass to see this supposed mark on her dress?"

Jane frowned. "I never said the mark was on her ass."

Frost smiled. "Maura told me."

"What? How would she know? Her back was turn..." Jane abruptly cut herself off, and Frost guffawed. "Doesn't mean I was looking at her ass! I could have been looking at her... back. Or her legs. Or her neck." Korsak was looking between her and Frost with growing awareness in his eyes and Jane grasped at straws desperately. "Her hair! I was looking at her hair!"

"So... she had a mark on her dress... on her hair?"

Jane glared at Frankie, who had apparently been listening to the whole conversation quietly in a corner.

Little sneak.

He smiled back sweetly, but the look in his eyes was far from innocent.

"No, I... it..."

"If it helps, Maura just said that her back was turned when she heard you fall. I deduced the 'looking at her ass' thing myself."

Jane turned her gaze back to Frost and opened and closed her mouth a few more times. Finally, she stood up with as much grace and dignity as possible. "I am going home."

"Going to check out Maura's ass some more?" Frankie giggled, and Jane picked up a pen and threw it at him, grateful that even though her elbows were still slightly tender and she still had no movement in her wrist due to the cast, her aim had not suffered. The pen nib hit him directly in the forehead, leaving a faint blue dot with a red impact ring around it. Jane smiled triumphantly.

"Did someone say my name?" Maura asked, walking back in the room and handing Jane, _ugh_, a green tea.

"Just saying what a great job you've done looking after Janie here," Frankie say, still smiling mischievously.

"Don't call me Janie," Jane growled, but no one appeared to be listening.

"Yes... well, while it has certainly been trying at times, I have to say that it hasn't been nearly as bad as I expected," Maura said, taking a sip of her own green tea as she studied Jane studiously over the lip of the cup.

"What do you mean, not as bad as you expected?" Jane asked, and Maura shook her head, taking her by the arm.

"Never mind."

"No, but what did you mean? Not as bad as you expected? What did you expect?"

Maura turned Jane around forcibly, pulling her arm out of Jane's as she did so, and gave her a push towards the door.

"Let's go."

"But what did you mean?"

"Nothing."

"You're gonna get hi-ives," Jane singsonged, and, when Maura said nothing, "Come on, Maur, tell me! I won't get mad!"

Maura sighed heavily and rolled her eyes. "Perhaps I retract my earlier statement."

Jane frowned and stomped to the elevator.

Honestly. She wasn't _that_ bad. God, some people were _such_ drama queens.

_R&IR&IR&I_

"I suppose you'll be moving back to your apartment soon," Maura stated and Jane spun around on the couch, looking intently at her.

Maura, just as intently, avoided eye contact.

"I... I guess," Jane said slowly, watching Maura closely.

"Well, you've only got three days left of your casts now. Once you regain full movement of your hands, you won't require my assistance to bathe or eat anymore."

Jane didn't point out that she had been managing to feed herself since getting the short casts. She'd only been doing it when Maura was out of the room or out of the house anyway.

It's not like she _liked_ Maura feeding her or anything, it was just... she wanted Maura to feel helpful.

Yeah, helpful. Right.

"Well... my arms still could be pretty weak, you know. I might still require some assistance."

Maura looked up, and Jane wondered what it was that shone in her eyes so brightly... was that hope? Or annoyance?

"Well... certainly. That would be... that would be okay."

_Huh, maybe it was annoyance._

"Or, you know, I'll just call Ma if I need help."

Maura deflated.

_Maybe it _was_ hope then?_

"Or... I could stay here for a bit longer."

Maura perked up again. "You are more than welcome, Jane."

_Guess I'm staying at Maura's for a few more days._

Jane walked out of the room, and, when she was fairly certain Maura could see or hear her, she curled her hands up into fists as best she could and punched them into the air. "Yes!"

END CHAPTER SEVEN

_I know it's a bit shorter than usual... sorry! I just wanted to get it out so I could work on the next part of the story. Feel free to send through some ideas of where you'd like this story to go... at the moment I'm thinking probably another two/three chapters, but we'll see :-)_

_Please review and let me know what you think._

_Much love to all xoxo_


	9. Chapter 8

_Hi everyone! Okay... dare I say it... I think I'm maybe on the mend? Still very dependent on painkillers, but pain seems less and I'm less of a cranky, crabby turd haha. So keep your fingers crossed for me!_

_Anyways, so the last chapter wasn't my best and I could tell by the lack of reviews (sadface... but an eternal THANK YOU to those who did review!), but hopefully this one is better! Introducing... THE END OF JANE'S CASTS (but not the end of the story). Oh, and I had a review saying how hilarious the obligatory sex scene will be WHEN I write it... honestly, I don't really do sex scenes because I feel I'm no good at writing them (well, I did try on one of my stories... uh, 'Falling'? I think it was... anyways, getting distracted), but I've been thinking about it and... well, I think I'm gonna try. Won't be for a couple of chapters yet, but I wanna give it a go... and look, it'll either be hilariously awesome, or so badly written that it's hilarious, so win/win either way, right? Hopefully? haha! But enough rambling... onto the story!_

*****WEEK SIX CONT*****

Jane sat and stared at the phone.

She shook her head, stood up, and walked away.

She turned, came back to the table and sat down.

Was the phone staring at her now? It seemed like the phone was staring at her.

Okay, so it didn't have _eyes_ or _ears_, or, you know, _consciousness_, but whatever. Jane was pretty sure it was staring at her.

She stood up again, turned around... and came face to face with Maura.

"Hi."

"Hi," Maura replied, looking vaguely curious and more than a little amused.

"I'm just..." Jane trailed off, gesturing behind her emphatically as though that explained everything.

"Testing out my kitchen chair? Trying to decide if marigold really is the new black?"

Jane rolled her eyes. "No. I'm just..." she stopped, turning around to glare at the phone suspiciously.

She _knew_ it was staring at her this time.

But no, there it sat, all innocent looking. She narrowed her eyes at it. _Not fooling me._

"Jane, why are you frowning at my phone?"

"I'm not." Jane glared at it one more time for good measure before turning back to Maura and smiling innocently.

She sighed. "Are you intending to call someone?"

Jane froze. "Uh... maybe?"

"Maybe?"

"Um... yes?"

Maura sighed. "Okay. I'll be upstairs when you're finished... if you want to talk."

"I'm gonna call Casey," Jane blurted out quickly, before Maura could leave the room.

Maura slowly lifted her gaze from the floor, staring somewhere in the vicinity of Jane's right collarbone. "What are you going to say?"

"I... I don't know." Maura slowly lifted her gaze a little bit further and Jane ducked her head, successfully gaining eye contact. Maura blinked, a smile slowly appearing on her face and Jane frowned in confusion. Why was Maura smiling?

"You could tell him about getting your period!"

Jane gaped.

"Oh, and when you first got back from the hospital after getting your casts, how you accidentally peed on the floor because you refused to accept Angela's help."

Jane goggled.

"Oooh, what about when you tried feeding yourself for the first time with the wooden spoon and the sandwiches and you ended up choking?"

Jane glared. Maura smiled excitedly.

Okay, Jane was just going to say it: she was wrong. She was big enough to admit it; everyone is wrong sometimes after all. The truth was: the phone _wasn't_ evil after all.

Its _owner_, on the other hand... well, that was a whole other story.

_R&IR&IR&I_

_Really,_ Jane thought as she hung up the phone a mere 7 minutes later,_ it's rather disappointing I couldn't be a fly on the wall for the conversation I just had_.

She was sure it would have been _very_ interesting to see the peculiar hue of green his complexion surely would have taken on when Maura wrestled the phone from Jane's hand to gripe about used sanitary items, birth control and blood clots.

For heaven's sake, _blood clots._

Oh, and not just regular blood clots. Blood clots in _menstrual blood_.

Yeah, she was pretty sure Maura had just successfully scarred Casey for life.

She snorted. What a hilarious way to be traumatised.

Anyway, the relationship was over, and Jane didn't feel nearly as upset about it as she thought she would. In fact, if anything, she felt somewhat... relieved. And, all things considered and to look at the bright side of things, this definitely had to go down in the history books as her _favourite_ breakup _ever._

Blood clots. Heh.

Jane suddenly realized that Maura was staring at her all concerned eyes, downturned lips and soft, stroking hands, and she became aware that she hadn't actually spoken since hanging up the phone. She was also fairly certain that she hadn't even smiled, because if she remembered that conversation and smiled, even a little bit, it would lead to giggling, which would lead to laughter, which would lead to rolling on the floor in hysterics and Maura calling the funny farm, and Jane _really_ didn't fancy trying to wear a straitjacket over casts.

Or, you know, at all.

In fact, it would be awesome sans casts as well. No strait jacket, no casts, we have a winner!

And there's the giggling. _Whoops_. Jane stared guiltily at Maura whose look of concern, if anything, had quadrupled in the last 0.25 seconds.

"Jane?"

Jane suddenly had a mental image of a strait jacket covered in pictures of blood clots, and even though it was a completely gross picture that kind of made her want to dry heave, she also couldn't help the snort that popped out.

Oh, but it seemed like Maura had caught up. She no longer looked concerned, only mildly amused. "Jane," she repeated, smiling softly as Jane doubled up in laughter.

"I'm single," Jane gasped out. Maura went back to looking confused and concerned.

"You..."

"I'm single."

"Is that... good?" Maura asked hesitantly, and Jane stopped laughing, thinking seriously about it for the first time.

"Yes. Yes, I think it is."

_Blood clots_.

Jane started cackling again, and Maura let out a giggle too, seemingly despite herself.

"Maura," Jane gasped out finally, rubbing her aching sides, "if ever there is anyone else I need to break up with, you can do it for me, okay?"

She laughed. "Okay, Jane. Okay."

_R&IR&IR&I_

"Right doc, let's do this thing. Casts coming off."

The doctor (_Dr T... Tr... Treeman? Treeford?)_ sighed heavily. Maura rolled her eyes.

"You should know the drill by now, Miss Rizzoli..."

"_Detective_," Jane grumped, crossing her arms.

"... first we take you to X-ray, then I ask you some questions, _then_ I decide if the casts are coming off today or not."

Jane sat up straight. "Or not? What 'or not'? There is no 'or not' here, okay? 'Or not' is not an option. The casts are coming off. End of discussion." She nodded her head decisively and glared daggers at the doctor. Tree doc simply raised an eyebrow, while Maura sighed heavily and stood up.

"Let's go, Jane."

"Go? We're going? Are we going to another doctor? One that doesn't say 'or not'? Will he take my casts off? Tree doc won't do it."

"Who is tree... never mind. No, we are going to X-ray."

"I don't wanna go to X-ray."

Jane cocked her head at the suddenly pinched expression on Maura's face. Was she biting her tongue? "Are you biting your tongue?"

"I'll bite yours clean off soon..." Maura muttered, barely perceptive, before pointing a finger at Jane threateningly. "Move it! X-ray!"

Jane stood up slowly, with a huge put upon sigh. "_Fine_. God, some people are so crabby..."

She quickly darted out of the way of Maura's flesh seeking pincher fingers.

_R&IR&IR&I_

"... and then tree doc said 'or not' but that's not cool cause I am _so bored_ at home and I _need_ to go back to work, so you totally have to tell him my arms are hunky dory cause otherwise the next murder that comes in, I will _totally_ find a way to blame you, or at least call you in for questioning, because did I mention that I'm a homicide cop and I love my job, but there are murders happening that are potentially _not getting solved_ because I'm not out there, and do you really think you can live with that on your conscience? Do you? Letting murderers _walk free?_ Because I don't know if I could handle that, but, you know, whatever... I'm not the one who won't be sleeping at night."

The x-ray technician looked scared.

Jane glared threateningly.

"Oh for God's sake Jane, your bones look fine. Now stop torturing the poor woman and get back over here."

Jane's head whipped in Maura's direction. "They look fine?"

"They look fine."

"Are you sure?"

Maura rolled her eyes. "I'm sure."

"YES!" Jane leapt to her feet and all but bolted to the door. Maura's glare stopped her dead in her tracks. Sheepishly, she turned back around. "I won't blame you for any murders, unless you actually commit one. Uh... thanks for... you know, x-raying my arms and stuff."

The woman just nodded, still looking scared, and Maura grabbed Jane's arms, propelling her out the door forcefully. "Thanks Rowena."

_Huh, Rowena. See, totally have this name thing down pat. Rowena and... Treeford? Treeton? Uh... tree doc it is._

_R&IR&IR&I_

"Ha! Take that!"

Tree doc raised an eyebrow as Jane threw her envelope of images on his desk dramatically. "Uh..."

"Jane's bones have healed sufficiently and she would highly appreciate it if you could take the casts off now please," Maura translated patiently (but she did add an impatient eye roll... one which Jane was not too impressed to see that tree doc imitated immediately afterwards).

"Right..." the doctor said slowly, pulling the images out so he could inspect them himself. After staring at them for an inordinate amount of time (or so Jane thought), he finally nodded and moved back to his chair. "Right, well that all looks in order. Now, have you been experiencing any pain in your arms, Miss Rizzoli?"

_"Detective._"

Tree doc coughed and looked awkward. "Detective, my apologies."

"Nope, no pain, no pain whatsoever. Let's get these babies off!"

Tree doc looked at Maura. "Not that I've noticed," she said in reply to the look. "She was grimacing a bit at first, but that stopped about a week ago."

"No pain since being put in short casts?" he asked.

"Nope, no pain," Jane said, but he ignored her, looking at Maura.

"Only when she immediately attempted to straighten her arms despite your warnings." Both doctors shared a long suffering look and Jane frowned, slumping in her chair. Stupid doctors with their stupid looks and stupid questions and stupid casts...

After a few seconds of sharing this look, tree doc clapped his hands and stood up. "Right, let's get these casts off then!"

_Huh. Always knew I liked that guy._

_R&IR&IR&I_

"Why's it look weird?"

"Why does what look weird?" Maura said patiently, shaking out the hand that Jane had been squeezing the life out of while the cast was getting cut off.

"My arm." Jane poked at her arm experimentally with her still plastered one. It _felt_ okay... "Why's it all... flaky?"

"It's been in a cast for six weeks, Jane. The dead skin cells that have collected on your epidermis have not had the opportunity to wash away, hence the flaky appearance." She examined the arm a bit more closely. "It doesn't look like contact dermatitis or any other skin condition however, so it should clear up fairly quickly."

Jane was horrified. "That's _dead skin? _That's kinda nasty."

Maura rolled her eyes and moved around to the other side as tree doc started up the saw again, beginning to cut into the other cast. Jane barely noticed this time, so preoccupied with staring at her recently freed arm. "It's all skinny."

"Of course it's all skinny; you haven't been able to use your arm for 6 weeks. You've suffered muscle atrophy. It shouldn't take too long to build back up however... you just have to take it easy for the next few weeks when you're back at work."

Jane pouted at the thought of taking it easy, but perked up as soon as Maura mentioned 'work'. She knew she wouldn't be allowed back out in the field for a while (though, if she had anything to do with it, it wasn't going to be as long as Maura thought it should be), but still, the thought of any work was pretty damn appealing at this stage.

"Okay, let's check your pain responses now!" the doctor said, laying the saw aside, and Jane stared in fascination at her other recently freed arm.

As he was reaching out to grab her hand, she grinned at him widely. "No pain, doc, all good, see! No more casts! No pain! Fantastic! Brilliant job!"

The doctor sighed and looked at Maura as he gently started manoeuvring Jane's joints. She nodded. "Okay, I see no signs of pain on her face at the moment..."

Jane rolled her eyes. God, did _no one_ trust her around here?

END CHAPTER EIGHT

_Okay, hopefully you guys liked this one... potentially some OOC-iness in this chapter, but... well, I did say it might be slightly cracky! haha. As always, reviews are love :-)_


	10. Chapter 9

_Hi everyone, I'm baaack! So I've had a few people ask me how I managed to break my wrists... it's not a terribly interesting story, but here goes: My mum was on tuckshop (I don't know what they call it wherever you live, but the little shop that kids can buy food/lollies from at school), and I had this agreement with my classmates that when my mum was on tuckshop, I went to collect the lunches for whoever had bought lunch that day. Anyways, class was released and this other kid started bolting towards the shop, so I started racing after him, yelling out it was my turn etc etc... and there was this little, itty bitty, tiny tiny crack in the concrete, I managed to catch the tip of my shoe in it cause I'm just talented in that super special clumsy way, and over I went. And I didn't snap my hands out in time to brace my fall, so they were still kinda tucked under and my wrists hit the concrete first. Yeah, so... not so interesting. OH, but when I went to the sick bay, all they could see was my grazed knees so they cleaned them up, (apparently ignoring the way I was gingerly holding my arms), told me to stop crying and get back outside and play. Went to mum, she took me to the docs who x-rayed me, plastered me up then sent me off to hospital, and OMG the look on the office lady's faces when I came back to school a few days later with two arms in plaster? HILARIOUS. They felt so bad... teehee. Oh, and I had my casts on for seven weeks... they were going to only be on for six, but the doctor wasn't happy with my pain responses or something (can't remember that part now), so he decided to keep me in casts for another week. Thought about doing it to Jane but then thought Maura might actually kill her... :-P Anyways, that's my story... onto the chapter!_

*****WEEK SEVEN*****

"Are you okay in there?" the voice came through the bathroom door and Jane groaned.

"Maura, I am peeing by myself for the first time in a long time... leave me in peace!" Jane had been very disappointed when, upon going into short casts, she still found that she needed assistance in that particular area of personal hygiene. Bending elbows was not sufficient... she still required movement of her wrists to toilet independently... otherwise, as _helpfully_ pointed out by Maura, she ran the risk of _contaminating _her casts with various, uh, substances. Maura was happy to help Jane, of course – well, _willing_ to help anyway – but it didn't help Jane's feelings on the subject. "Ahhh..." she sighed as she let out what felt like several litres of fluid, wiped herself and pulled her pants up with a flourish. Flushing the toilet and washing her hands felt like a major feat, and when she walked out, she grinned at Maura proudly. "See Ma, did ya see me? I did it all by myself!"

Maura rolled her eyes, though Jane noticed that she dropped her own hands pretty quickly... she surmised that Maura had been wringing them with nerves and subsequently rolled her own eyes at the thought.

"I'm an adult, Maura, I've been peeing by myself for quite a few years now... you didn't need to be worried."

"You're _sure_ there's no pain?"

"None, I promise." To prove her point, Jane carefully flexed her fingers in front of Maura's face, even gently moving her wrist joint (having learnt from the whole 'short casts' incident, she was very cautious now in moving her newly freed arms). Finally, Maura seemed satisfied. "Now, do you know what I want to do?"

"What?" Maura asked, smiling in faint amusement.

"I want to eat a sandwich! No, wait, I want to _make_ a sandwich, _then_ eat it... all by myself!" Jane was practically giddy in her enthusiasm and Maura seemed unable to stop the laugh that bubbled out.

"Oh Jane."

"What?"

"I know you've been feeding yourself for over a week now," Maura said and Jane stopped dead in her movements to walk past and get down the stairs.

"Uh... no, I haven't."

"So the container of icecream just mysteriously emptied itself?"

"Uh... yes?" Jane smiled sweetly and Maura rolled her eyes. "Why didn't you tell me you knew?"

Maura shrugged. "I knew you'd tell me if you didn't want help anymore."

Jane decided that the best defence is a good offence, so, "That sounds like a guess."

"Is not!"

Jane almost laughed at the look of sheer horror on Maura's face. "Is too."

"Is n... shut up, Jane."

Jane gasped. "Maura!"

Maura simply lifted her chin and pranced down the stairs. Jane growled.

"Shush me, don't you shush me. Wasn't even a shush, she said shut up, how rude..."

"Stop mumbling and make your sandwich," Maura called up, laughter in her voice.

Jane moved downstairs (making sure to step down very firmly... _not_ stomping though, thank you very much) and walked into the kitchen, and saw everything already set up for her neatly. Bread, peanut butter, fluff, plate and a knife. She smiled despite herself.

"I'm not saying thank you," she said petulantly, and Maura laughed.

"That's good, because I won't tell you that you're welcome, since you're not."

"Good. So long as we have that clear." Jane picked up the knife and began making her sandwich, but every few seconds she lifted her gaze to catch Maura's. The two women smiled at each other fondly.

_R&IR&IR&I_

"My arms smell. How can you not notice that my arms smell?"

"Oh, I noticed."

Jane stared at Maura suspiciously. "When were you going to say something?"

Maura glanced at the clock. "We've been home for 1 hour and 16 minutes now. I was going to give you 90 minutes to say something by yourself, which means you had... 14 minutes left. Oops, 13 minutes."

"Trust you to give me a time limit," Jane grumped, glancing up to see that, yes indeed, the clock had just moved forward one minute. She lifted her arm to her nose and took a big whiff. "Oh God," she moaned, lunging forward and dry retching, hand clapped to her mouth. Which, on second thought, probably didn't assist the nausea.

Maura laughed unsympathetically. "I could have told you that was a bad idea."

"Why didn't you tell me before I did it?" Jane groaned, trying to control the unpleasant rolling of her stomach. She didn't know how she could handle all manner of dead bodies, some in various states of decay, and not bat an eyelid, but this made her nauseous. Possibly because it was a scent coming from her own body, she mused.

"Well, I didn't know you were _going_ to do it, did I?" Maura replied sensibly and Jane rolled her eyes.

"I don't remember a bad smell when I went down to short casts."

"No, but the hospital cleaned your skin with wipes afterwards, remember?"

No, Jane didn't remember, but that was probably because she was shouting 'short casts' and 'elbows' like a mental patient. She flushed slightly at the memory.

"Why didn't they do it this time?"

"Maybe because you were threatening bodily injury if they didn't let you leave immediately?"

"I...!" she started, but stopped at the look on Maura's face, which clearly seemed to say 'don't even'. "Huh. Fine. Guess I should go have a bath."

"You can shower now, you know."

"Ooh, shower!" Jane leapt to her feet and waited for Maura, who just looked up at her patiently. "Oh. Right. I can, uh, do that by myself now. Of course."

"You can call me if you need help," Maura said mildly as Jane left, but she should have known the placid attitude was too good to last. "But don't press too hard on the shower handles, you might damage your wrists again! Oh, and don't exfoliate the skin too hard, just gently rub it over with a cloth. The skin underneath all the dead flakes will be very new and sensitive, so I recommend using the soap and fragrance free body wash. It's in the blue bottle in the shower caddy. When washing yourself, try to avoid having the water too hot, it might damage the new skin. Just leave it at room temperature... slightly above is okay though. But I mean _slightly_. The new skin is... Jane? JANE!"

Jane slammed the bathroom door and rolled her eyes. Maura, Maura, Maura, what to do with her, what to do.

_R&IR&IR&I_

"Uh, Maura?"

"Yes?" Jane nearly leapt out of her skin as Maura instantly appeared to her left, staring at her expectantly.

"Were you waiting outside the door?"

Maura flushed, and Jane watched as the telltale red splotches began appearing on her chest even though she had not yet opened her mouth.

"Yeah, Maura, you know what? Don't worry about replying." The red splotches disappeared almost instantly. "You know, I will be okay. I don't need you to stand outside and supervise me. Either when I go to the toilet, _or_ when I have a shower. I'm perfectly capable."

"Okay then," Maura agreed readily, and turned around. Jane quickly realized her dilemma.

"Uh, that is..." Maura turned around slowly, staring at Jane expectantly. "_Normally_ I'm perfectly capable."

Maura tilted her head, and Jane felt a fond smile breaking out on her face at the sweet, innocent movement. "Normally?"

"Uh... well... I, uh... I _might_, you know... requireassistanceatthemoment."

Maura's lips quirked up. "Pardon?"

Jane rolled her eyes. "Get in here and help me," she paused, then added as an afterthought, "please."

"All you had to do was ask," Maura said, and pushed on the door gently. Jane pushed back (using her whole body, thank you, she wasn't silly enough to try using her hands... this time).

"I'm naked!"

Maura sighed, and Jane immediately realized the stupidity of her statement, seeing as how Maura had been seeing her naked almost every day for the past six weeks. It was _different_ though, she had been incapacitated, whereas now she was (almost) back to full potential. It felt different.

Not altogether bad though, Jane mused, and with that thought she finally swung open the door. "I can't turn the shower on."

Maura walked over to the shower straight away, not even glancing in Jane's direction, and Jane wondered why she felt vaguely disappointed. Could casts mess with a person's mental status? Like... maybe the plaster got absorbed into her blood stream somehow and clogged up an important artery in the brain, and that made weird thoughts and impulses appear? She opened her mouth to ask, but Maura was already talking.

"It's not surprising that you couldn't turn the taps on by yourself, you know. You only _just_ got the casts off, you haven't had any chance to rebuild muscle mass at all... therefore your hands will be extremely weak. To build up muscle mass again, we will start doing some light exercises tomorrow, some very light weights, stretching, perhaps even som..." Maura trailed off, turning to look at Jane for the first time who, without even thinking about it, had been standing completely naked in the centre of the room without even a vague attempt at covering up to preserve her modesty.

And, she was right, it _did_ feel different. Maura's gaze travelled slowly up her body, starting at her toes and moving up to her calves, her knees, her thighs, her... ahem 'private area' (Jane noticed she spent an extra second or two there too, she might add), her stomach, her breasts (easily an extra 5 seconds there), before finally moving up to her face.

Maura immediately flushed. "Um, do you need anything else?"

"No. No, I think I'll be okay," Jane replied, an odd breathy tone to her voice that she had never noticed before.

"Okay," Maura said, and quickly walked out of the bathroom.

"Wait," Jane said, and Maura turned, keeping her eyes downcast. "You said the blue bottle, right?"

"Yes."

"Okay. Thanks." Her voice still sounded breathy. Weird. "Oh, and Maura?" She waited until Maura lifted her gaze to hers. "Thank you."

Maura's eyes darkened. "You're welcome, Jane."

The bathroom door shut with a soft snick, and Jane stared in the mirror, ignoring the water pounding down in the shower behind her. Her skin felt flushed and hot, and her heart was racing.

Must have something to do with the plaster being absorbed into her blood theory.

Sure, Jane was positive that was it.

And, as she stepped into the shower and gently started washing her whole body, she ignored the plaintive cry inside her that arose when it realized that it was no longer Maura's hands doing the washing.

END CHAPTER NINE

_You know the drill, read and review pretty please! :-D Thought this chapter would take me longer to do cause... well, it's raining here, and my hands reeeally don't like the rain, but where there's a will, a muse and painkillers, there's a way! :-D haha! :-P_


	11. Chapter 10

_Okay, so I'm actually supposed to be working on work stuff (I know, I know, lovely thing to spend my Sunday on but I was lazy and didn't do it at work, so now I've gotta catch up... sigh), but I was thinking of this and... well, the next chapter happened. Not sure when I'll be able to get chapter 11 out (technically chapter 12 but whatever), so... hey, two chapter updates in less than 24 hours, that's pretty good though! Right? :-P_

_Now, I have absolutely no idea how long this will be. Three chapters ago, I thought it would be a max of three more chapters. Now that that time is here... I got nothing. Maybe another three? Maybe two. Maybe five. Hell, maybe ten. I know where the story is going, just not how long it will take to get there. I just don't know, so hopefully you guys continue to enjoy the ride._

_But enough rambling... onto the chapter!_

*****CHAPTER TEN – WEEK SEVEN CONT*****

"Are you ready?" Maura asked through the door and Jane grinned, pulling her singlet down over her sports bra and bouncing on the balls of her feet. She picked up her boxing gloves.

"I'm ready!" She started cooing to the gloves at the same moment as Maura walked in, reverently placing her hands inside them as she told them how much she had missed them, so initially, she missed seeing Maura's reaction.

She _heard_ it though.

"JANE!"

Jane jumped and whirled about to glare at Maura. "Maura! What are you tryin' to do, give me a heart attack or something? I only just recovered from broken wrists, you'd think _that_ would be enough, but..."

"_What are you doing?!_" Maura interrupted in a hilariously high pitched, horror filled voice.

"Uh..." Jane looked about the exercise room as though searching for hints behind Maura's clear shock... was there a murdered person behind the punching bag? No, Maura was used to dead bodies... Perhaps a bunny about to get its head chopped off. Or maybe someone was about to feed Bass regular strawberries instead of those fancy-ass British ones... God knew that Maura had a hissy fit about _that_ when Jane tried feeding him one day to help out. "Getting ready to work out and build up my arm muscles again? Like you said?"

"With _those _on?" Maura's voice was almost back to normal now. How disappointing. Jane turned back to her, finally realizing that the room was clear of headless bunnies and evil _plain _strawberries masquerading as fancy ones, and that therefore, somehow, _she_ was the product of Maura's dismay and consternation. _Consternation, heh. Kinda sounds like constipated, which, looking at Maura's face right now..._ Jane's thoughts were halted sharply in their tracks as Maura stomped over to her and took her hands, pulling the gloves off. She was surprisingly gentle too, considering the look on her face. "You are _not_ boxing! Do you have any idea what kind of damage that could cause to newly healed bones?"

"Uh... no?"

"You could end up in plasters again!"

"Oh!" Jane stared in horror at the boxing gloves, resting so innocently in Maura's hands. She batted them so that they fell on the floor, then kicked them into a corner.

Maura looked at her with one raised eyebrow, looking amused.

"What?"

"Are you planning to stick your tongue out at them next?"

Jane just glared at her, glared at the punching bag for good measure and (gently) crossed her arms against her chest. "What _are_ we going to do then?"

Maura walked over to a weights set, and picked up...

"Wait, two pounds? Really?"

"Yes, _really_, Jane. Trust me, you need to work your way back up."

Jane snorted, finally reaching out for the weights and... "Oh. Oh."

"See?" Maura looked ridiculously self satisfied so Jane shook her head.

"Nope. Too light, see?" she lifted a weight above her head, studiously avoiding changing her facial expression as her atrophied muscles complained bitterly. "I could go heavier."

"Okay," Maura said, reaching out for the next size up, and Jane quickly spoke up again.

"But I won't. You know, I want to keep you happy and... stuff. So, this is good."

Maura simply grinned and Jane narrowed her eyes. She was a sneaky one, that Dr Isles...

_R&IR&IR&I_

"Ow."

"Are you okay?"

"Ow."

"Jane."

"Owww."

Maura rolled her eyes. "Okay, I'm not worried anymore."

Jane frowned. "Why not?"

"Because if you have enough strength to complain _that_ much, you're obviously fine."

"Am not." Maura shook her head as Jane carefully massaged her arms as best she could. "I didn't know it would feel like that."

"Did you think you would be able to go back to normal straight away?"

"No," Jane replied quickly. Too quickly, because Maura simply raised a disbelieving eyebrow and declined to comment. "You know, I thought it would take, like... a day. Or two."

"A day or two? To cover six weeks of complete inactivity?"

Jane frowned. "I thought I told you to stop with the sarcasm."

"Yes, well I also told _you_ to stop teaching me!"

Jane gaped. "I don't teach you!"

"You use it around me. I pick it up."

"I can't _not_ use sarcasm!"

"Well then, don't complain when I use it."

"I... mmm..." Jane trailed off, narrowing her eyes at Maura, realizing that she really, _really_ was not going to win this argument.

Seriously, that was the problem with being best friends with a genius. They always have the last. Fucking. Word.

"My arms hurt," she complained instead. Maura looked concerned.

"Sharp pain, or just mild discomfort?" Jane just made a vague whining noise, which Maura seemed to correctly interpret as mild discomfort. "Okay, give me your arms."

"Why?" Jane surveyed Maura suspiciously.

"I'm going to massage them, which will not only serve the purpose of relaxing your muscles, but will also stimulate them and help them to strengthen and build up more quickly. Did you know that studies have proven that bodybuilders who have frequent massages build up muscle mass quicker than those that don't?"

"Really?" Jane deadpanned, but twisted on the couch so that Maura had easier access to her arms, and, as soon as Maura started gently kneading the muscles, Jane groaned.

"Is that good?" Maura asked, looking up, her eyes dark, her lashes lower than usual.

"So good..." Jane moaned, tilting her head back and letting her eyes close as the muscle aches seemed to be magically spirited away.

"I could... massage your back too. If you like," Maura said hesitantly, her voice somewhat deeper than usual, and Jane lifted her head back up, opening her eyes lazily, only to find Maura's eyes staring into her own, millimetres away.

Okay, so it was more like a foot away, but it _felt _like less. And Jane's heart was pounding, her hands were sweating, and she felt a bit lightheaded. It all felt very... weird...

"Uh, no. No, I'm good." Jane stood up and started backing away from the couch, almost tripping over her own feet. "I'm just going to... you know, go up. To my room. And... read. Or something."

Maura's eyes widened as Jane continued to back away, but she barely got out "Ja...!" before Jane was on her ass, staring at the object she had tripped over: Bass. A-fucking-gain.

With a quick self inventory, Jane decided that everything was fine, and she gave the tortoise a mighty glare. "This is 'cause I keep calling you a turtle, isn't it? You hate me now, don't you?"

As Maura started to giggle, Jane _swore_ she saw the damn turtle nod its head.

"Well watch it, or I'll start calling you a freakin' parrot next," she mumbled, standing up. She stared at Maura's giggling form for a minute before quietly retreating to her upstairs sanctuary.

God, broken bones, turtles/tortoises (_huh, tortles? Turtoises? Turtlses?) _that had it in for her and apparently desired her imminent demise... weird ass feelings bought on by plaster being absorbed into her blood stream (okay, so Maura said that that wouldn't happen unless she had an open wound under the cast, which she _didn't_, and that even if it _had _been absorbed, it would do nothing to her brain function, but whatever, Maura didn't know _everything_), it was a wonder Jane was able to keep any sanity at _all._

_R&IR&IR&I_

"So when are you moving out?"

Jane stopped chewing and stared open mouthed at her mother. "Wha oo say?"

Angela winced. "Swallow your food before you speak, Jane! God, did I not teach you _anything?_"

Jane rolled her eyes, deliberately chomping away with an open mouth at the remainder of what was formerly (according to her mother) a chicken shaped pancake (she had apparently been upgraded from bunnies... Jane really didn't understand her mother's fascination with making barnyard animal shapes with pancake mixture but whatever). Finally swallowing noisily, she repeated herself, "What did you say?"

"When are you moving out?" Angela repeated patiently, and Jane's heart sank as she glanced over at Maura, who was deliberately avoiding eye contact. Had Maura been feeling that Jane had overstayed her welcome and employed Angela's help to get her to move out again? Jane wouldn't put it past her... she was such a polite person that she wouldn't want to offend Jane by saying it outright.

"Um... I mean..." she began hesitantly, unsure how to say what she was feeling, "I mean, I'm out of casts now, so... I guess I'm capable of living by myself again..." Maura seemed to slump her shoulders a little bit (somehow still maintaining perfect posture... Jane _really_ wanted to know how she did that), so Jane continued, "but, I mean... I'm still working with Maura daily on building my strength again..." Maura straightened almost imperceptibly, "but I guess I could live at home and just come over here daily to do that, now that I'm allowed to drive again..." Another slump, "but it would be easier if I stayed here..." Maura straightened up again. It was kind of like a puppet on a string, Jane thought with some amusement, "I mean, especially since my muscles get sore and it's, you know, potentially dangerous for me to drive with my arms that achy, and..."

Maura spoke up, interrupting Jane unapologetically. "Well, that settles it. I think you need to stay here a bit longer."

Angela bit her lip. "Oh. Okay then. Jane, can you come assist me in the guest house for a moment please?"

"Um..." Jane glanced at Maura, who shrugged, looking curious, "sure. I guess. I'll be back in a minute, Maur." Maura nodded, so Jane pushed her plate away and stood up, following after her mother, who, she noticed, was biting her nail nervously.

"Don't you think you've overstayed your welcome a bit?" Angela asked, as soon as Jane closed the door behind her.

Jane felt her heart sink a little bit, because, truth was, even taking into account Maura's body language and obvious desire for Jane to stay a little longer, she had been feeling the same way. "Uh... well, Maura seems happy for me to stay, so..."

"But what about dating?"

Jane frowned. "Uh... dating?"

"Yes, when you and Maura start dating," Angela said patiently, staring at Jane as though she was a little bit slow. Jane, meanwhile, was trying to calm down her heart, which had inexplicably started to race at her mother's seemingly innocuous question.

"Uh... dating? Maura and I?"

"Yes, when you start seeing men, what's going to happen then if you're still living under the same roof?"

_Oh_. Jane felt an unaccustomed heaviness settle into her chest at the thought of Maura dating, and struggled to draw in a deep breath. After all, it wasn't like she _or_ Maura were exactly swimming in prospects at the moment. "I don't think that will be an issue, Ma."

Angela then did the most unexpected thing Jane could think of: she beamed, her eyes shining brightly. "Oh, Jane."

Jane stared at her suspiciously. "Are you crying, Ma?"

"I'm just so happy!" Jane suddenly found herself being squeezed tightly and flapped her hands helplessly as she struggled to draw in a deep breath.

"Breathing, Ma, breathing is good!"

"I just... oh. I always wanted a doctor in the family. And now I'm going to have one," Angela finally said, pulling back and affectionately touching Jane's face. "Oh, but don't worry. I know I'm not supposed to have figured it out yet. Mum's the word, eh?"

Jane just stared blankly as Angela pulled back and practically skipped down the path back towards the house.

_What? What did... wait. Does she... oh hell no._

END CHAPTER TEN

_If you liked this chapter, please please review! Reviews are like my bread and butter, they keep me going, so if you enjoy this, please let me know. I don't mean to beg but... oh hell, yes I do. PLEASE? teehee._

_xoxo_


	12. Chapter 11

_LOL to the guest reviewer who was disappointed that I didn't go through with the back massage scene last chapter... I didn't say that it would NEVER happen, did I? hehe, might have to wait and see on that one. And don't forget, one hilariously (awkward, awful or awesome - pick at will) sex scene will be heading your way eventually, so try to be patient with me :-P_

_Oh, and to the other guest reviewer that left a message suggesting I write longer chapters... no, thank you. I like short chapters, they mean I can update quicker. So I will be sticking with short chapters and you will just have to live with it :-D But don't hesitate to continue to provide suggestions... however, please let me know what you think of the story next time too!_

_OOH, now I do have a challenge for my lovely readers... CAN WE GET TO 200 REVIEWS? Please?! It will be the most I've ever had EVER. Well... this is already more than I've ever had... but I want to get to 200! And my 200th reviewer can... I don't know, give me a story prompt or something. Try to make it a funny prompt if possible, I like doing funny stories :-D_

_ANYWAYS. Enough rambling, onto the chapter!_

*****CHAPTER 11 – WEEK EIGHT*****

Jane could already tell that this was going to be a very long day. Maura insisted on spending five hours (or at least it _felt _like five hours) making her special coffee blend for Jane that morning, rambling on about coffee porn the whole time (which made Jane a little bit squirmy... damn that whole plaster getting into her blood stream thing), then Bass launched attempt 3 on her life (Maura blamed _her_ for not looking where she was going... Jane was calling favouritism), and now it seemed like she had 10 years worth of paperwork to keep her busy over the next 3-4 weeks until her doctor cleared her and she was allowed out in the field again (she was actually aiming for 2 weeks, but the _one_ time she mentioned that to Maura, she about had a coronary. Jane decided wisely to not mention it again).

She glared at the pile for the 89th time that morning.

It _still _didn't disappear. _Or_ burst into flames, as any self respecting document _should_ do under the weight of a Jane Rizzoli glare.

Stupid paperwork. Jane grumbled under her breath as, with a flourish, she pulled the first folder down, opened it in front of her, and begrudgingly started typing.

God, and she thought _she_ had bad handwriting.

"Korsak, what the hell? Did you get a _chicken_ to write these notes for you or somethin'?"

"What? No! I'll have you know that I got awards for my handwriting in primary school!" Korsak replied, looking offended and Frost snorted.

"Wait, they _had_ primary school back then?"

Korsak sneered at him. "Yes, they did Detective Smartass, and they taught cursive. I was considered the best in my class." He lifted his chin with pride as Jane squinted down at the folder in front of her.

"Yeah, well, I hate to break it to ya Vince, old buddy, but I don't think you'll be winning any more awards any time soon. What the hell is this word?" she held up the folder to him, "'onodcef?"

He pulled the folder from her hand and squinted down at it. He turned the folder on one side, then the other. Finally, he flushed. "Uh... 'suspect'."

"Okay, Korsak, when not one of your letters looks like the letter it is _supposed_ to be, you can no longer boast about getting awards in primary school. Deal?"

Korsak frowned as Frost laughed gleefully and darted over to have a look at the word himself. After a few minutes of listening to their good natured ribbing back and forth, she grabbed the file back and started typing again with a sigh.

_Why_ did she want to be back at work again? God... if she was home now (Maura's home, whatever), she could be sitting on the couch next to Maura, watching The Jerry Springer Show, watching Maura look all sorts of horrified, traumatised, and simply confused while _she_ watched The Jerry Springer Show, sneaking a few _plain_ strawberries to Bass the parrot (Jane could hold a grudge like no other) and perhaps accidentallyonpurpose getting caught by Maura because it was just so _funny_ when she had a tantrum, and oh, did she mention spending time with Maura?

But no. She's upstairs, Maura's downstairs. _Probably all excited about getting elbow deep in corpses again_, Jane thought with a fond grin as she typed, staring at the keyboard with great concentration as she did. Sadly, Jane was very talented in many areas (let's face it, everyone knows she's amazing. Especially Jane herself), but touch typing? Not one of those skills.

She glanced up at the screen as she finished a paragraph, ready to proof read it.

_It was at this point that we apprehended the suspect. At the time of arrest, he was wearing black Maura and a white shirt, along with Converse sneakers. He had shaved his Maura, and had grown a beard. Detective Frost read him his rights, while I placed the Maura on him and guided him into the police car. During this time, the suspect took his right to silence and did not Maura._

Ah fuck it.

Jane let her head fall down onto the desk with an audible 'thonk' and cursed Bass, the casts, the plaster that had _obviously_ seeped into her bloodstream and affected her brain, her mother... hell, even Tommy.

Clearly at least _one_ of those things was responsible for her brain's weirdness lately.

_I mean, obviously._

_R&IR&IR&I_

"Hi."

Maura gasped and whirled around, her hand to her chest. "Jane?"

"That's me," Jane replied, walking into the autopsy room and just pausing for a second, revelling in the sense of homeliness that this place seemed to embody.

This place that had dead bodies... that Frankie had almost died in... that they had seen uncountable trauma and injury in...

Look, whatever. It was Maura's place, and Jane liked it. The end.

"Ah, I missed this," Jane sighed, spinning in a circle slightly to see the whole room. Nothing had changed, as far as she could see... except for the 'Maura Isles' specimen, which was looking rather... crankier... than usual. "Uh. Hi."

Maura raised an eyebrow. "I asked not to be disturbed."

Jane shrugged. "Susie made an exception for me."

Maura narrowed her eyes. "_Why_ did Susie make an exception for you?"

Jane jumped up on one of the nearby tables, scooching her butt backwards so that she could dangle her legs off the edge. She smiled innocently. "I don't know."

Maura opened her mouth, seemed to think better of it, and shot a worried look out into the hallway. "Just tell me that you didn't traumatise her."

Jane shrugged. "Not my fault she scares easy."

A sigh. "Why are you down here?" She turned back to the body on the table, but moved over to the side table, cutting into what looked like... a liver? Yes, definitely a liver. Maura spoke into her voice recorder. "Right kidney appears healthy..."

Right, a kidney. Jane knew that. "Um... I wanted to check on the progress of your autopsy."

She could practically _hear_ Maura's eyebrow raise in scepticism. "You mean, the autopsy of the victim whose murder Detective Frost and Sergeant Korsak are investigating? _That_ autopsy?"

Jane coughed. "Uh... yeah."

Silence.

"They asked me to come down."

More silence.

"To, you know, check on you."

Silence. Except... who knew organs sounded so... squishy?

"And see how you were going?"

Crickets. Well, no _actual_ crickets cause Maura would probably have a panic attack and release ten thousand kittens to catch the crickets or something, but still. Quiet.

"I was bored."

"Uh huh."

Ooh, a noise! She can speak! "And typing sucks."

"You were eager to type seven and a half weeks ago."

"Yeah, well..." Jane grumped, crossing her arms, "that was before I remembered how terrible Korsak's writing is. He makes doctors look like calligraphers."

"Calligraphy actually has a rather fascinating history! Did you know that it's name comes from the ancient greek words 'kallos' and 'graphẽ', meaning 'beauty' and 'writing' respectfully? It..."

"Oh God," Jane groaned. "Why on earth was I missing you?"

Maura stopped doing whatever the hell she was doing and slowly turned around. "You missed me?"

Jane froze. "Uh..."

"Jane?"

"Um... well, will you look at the time! I'm gonna go back upstairs. Lots to do you know. Bye Maura!"

As Jane made her exit, she heard Maura confusedly call out her name, but she ignored her, simply choosing to smile sheepishly at Susie as she absolutely and definitely did _not_ run away. You know, while she was walking. Fast. Away from Maura.

But running away? No. Jane Rizzoli doesn't do that.

Really. She doesn't.

_R&IR&IR&I_

"So when were you going to tell me?"

"God almighty!" Jane yelped, only just managing to keep hold of her coffee cup as she spun around. "Korsak? What? What are you doing... what are you talking about?"

Korsak shut the door to the break room gently, flicking the lock and smiling at Jane in a way that made her slightly uneasy. "You and Maura?"

Jane stared at him blankly. "Me and Maura what?"

"Angela told me. Oh, don't worry. I know it's still secret. I won't breathe a word."

_You gotta be kidding me_.

"...I mean, I _knew_ it was coming. I've known it was coming for a long time now..."

_Oh my God, Ma!_

"...I just wanted to say that I'm so happy for you..."

_I'm gonna kill her_.

"...I hoped that this time together would move things along a little bit..."

_Seriously. Where can I hide the body?_

"... Maura's feelings have always been excruciatingly obvious, but..."

_Maybe in the sea, or a lake somewhere._

"...oh, and come to think of it, Frost owes me money..."

_Just weight her body down with rocks, no one will ever... wait. What?_

"Huh?"

Korsak looked confused. "What?"

Jane wondered exactly how much she had missed in her Ma-killing fantasies, because it seemed like she had just interrupted him when he was in the middle of an extremely long speech of paternal pride, and he looked somewhat miffed about it. She poked him in the chest while she struggled vainly to remember what he said. "You knew it was coming? You knew what was coming? What do you mean that 'Maura's feelings have always been obvious?" she paused before frowning ferociously, "_and what do you mean Frost owes you money?_"

"Uh..." Korsak's eyes darted from side to side nervously. Jane simply raised an expectant eyebrow. "It was, uh, an unrelated, um, business agreement that, er, didn't exactly work out in his, uh, favour."

"A business agreement?"

Korsak smiled at her in a fatherly manner and she narrowed her eyes.

"Korsak!"

"That doesn't work on me, Jane. I've been with you since you were a rookie, remember? Can't scare me."

She drew in a large breath and let it out slowly. She glared.

She also _might_ have bared her teeth a little bit.

And growled.

You know, maybe.

He drew his head back, looking at her with some alarm. "Uh, okay, _that_ works. We, uh, may have made a bet about the two of you."

"Me and Dr Isles?" Jane asked, squeezing her eyes shut.

"Possibly."

Jane mumbled under her breath. She wasn't quite sure afterwards what exactly she had said, but judging by the increasing look of alarm on Korsak's face, she was pretty sure that she had mentioned disembowelment several times.

"Well, Korsak, you're gonna have to wait to collect on that money. We aren't together."

He looked honestly baffled. "You aren't?"

"No!"

Quietly contemplative now, he seemed to be thinking hard to himself. Finally, in a frank and curious tone: "Why?"

Jane opened her mouth. Closed it again. Opened it. Scratched her eyebrow. Closed her mouth. Frowned. "We... well... uh..."

Korsak patted her on the arm. "Maybe that's your answer."

He turned around and unlocked the door, walking out and shutting it gently behind him.

Jane opened her mouth again.

She closed it again, and finally sank down on a seat.

Seriously, what was it with everyone thinking she and Maura were a couple?

And what did Korsak mean when he said Maura's feelings were obvious? Were Jane's feelings not obvious?

Wait, no, wrong question.

She glared down at her wrists.

"Stupid Bass. Bass the parrot. Has it in for me," she mumbled, then stood up, heading over to the lifts.

_Man, I miss Maura._

END CHAPTER ELEVEN

_So I'm in like ridiculous amounts of pain at the moment and Endone isn't really cutting it tonight... so while I'm not trying to make you feel sorry for me, I totally am because I'm a liar and I was lying when I said I wasn't trying and you should review to make me feel better. Okay? :-P Pleeease! 200 reviews! Let's do it, people!_

_What can I do to make you love me... what can I do to make you care... what can I say to make you review... What do you mean those aren't the lyrics? Humph. :-P_

_Love to all! xoxo_


	13. Chapter 12

_AHHHH YOU GUYS ROCK! YOU DID IT! I love you all forever and ever and ever :-D 200 reviews! Actually, to be precise, 216. (!) I LOVE YOU ALL. Seriously, I woke up in the middle of the night feeling like blaaah so I thought I'll check my inbox... it's only been six hours since I posted so I'll maybe have like 5 reviews hopefully. No no, I had 15! 15! So then I went back to sleep with a huge grin on my face. :-D And in total, the last chapter had over 30 reviews! I LOVE YOU GUYS. SERIOUSLY. *gives you all long awkward hugs*_

_Ooh and congrats to afret2010 who got the 200th review! :-D_

_And I haven't responded to all of you this time (I've actually been doing reasonably well at responding this story [disregarding the last chapter], are you proud of me? :-D), but I love every single comment (except for that one 'guest' one that apparently doesn't realize that these italicised parts are ME, your slightly psycho author *rolls eyes* :-P) and thank you so much for all the well wishes!_

_ANYWAYS (teehee), onto the chapter!_

*****CHAPTER TWELVE – WEEK NINE*****

"Ow."

Silence.

"Ow!"

More silence. Jane sighed.

"OW!"

Dum de dum. Absolutely nothing. She could be _dying_, and Maura still wouldn't come. She could be literally on the ground, _dead_, screaming in pain, _dead_... and still Maura wouldn't come.

Okay, so she hasn't exactly figured out the logistics of screaming in pain and being dead, all at the same time, but whatever. She was being _ignored,_ and she didn't appreciate it.

"Oh look, I accidentally fed Bass the parrot some plain strawberries," she called up the stairs. More silence.

"I accidentally moved the couch five inches to the right!" Yup, nothing. _Could be dead. She'd be sorry then._

"I'm wearing boxing gloves!" Nothing. Seriously. Was _Maura_ dead?

"I put your shoes in different boxes!" Hey, it worked one other time... but nope, not this time. Nada, zip, zilch, nothing. Jane supposed Maura had probably been desensitized to box-throwing-out-and-rearrangements after Angela's strenuous efforts to declutter Maura's already impeccable life.

"Fine," Jane huffed, leaning back against the couch. Her arms really _were_ sore, but you know, whatever. She could deal with it. She was just fine. She didn't need Maura at all. She was just fine.

With a pout, she turned the TV on with a click of the remote, crossed her arms, put her feet up on the coffee table, and...

"Jane!"

Oh, so _that_ she notices.

"What?"

"Can't you see Bass?"

Oh. Jane _did _think the coffee table was a little lower than usual. She uncrossed her arms and leaned over to better see the creature she was resting her legs on. "Hi Bass."

He hissed.

"Maura, your parrot is hissing at me."

"Oh for God's sake Jane," Maura said, coming over and knocking Jane's feet off Bass, letting them thump to the floor. Bass hissed once more for good measure and moved away, "I think I preferred it when you called him a turtle."

"What's wrong with parrot? Have you forgotten he tried to _kill_ me?"

"He did _not_ try to kill you, you just need to look where you're going."

"He needs to not crawl behind me!"

"He does not _crawl_, he _walks,_ and this is his house too! Plus, it's your own fault! If you weren't _staring_ at m..." Maura trailed off, eyes wide as she seemed to realize what she was saying.

Jane's eyes narrowed. "You had something on your dress."

"No I didn't."

"I _thought_ you had something on your dress."

"But I didn't."

"I needed to move closer to _check_, though, and Bass was in the way."

"In _front_ of you, I might add."

"I was distracted!"

"Because you were looking at me?"

"I was looking at the dress."

"Me _in_ the dress."

Seriously. Don't argue with a genius. You. Will. Never. Win.

_Especially_ don't argue with Maura Isles. She just don't play fair.

Jane pouted again. "Was not."

"Was too."

Jane crossed her arms, but a sudden sharp cramp made her gasp and cringe. "Ow! Fuck!"

Maura immediately lost her playful glance and turned to Jane properly. "What's wrong?"

Jane sighed, rubbing her arms. "Nothing." A raised eyebrow from Maura. "My arms are just a little bit sore." Maura frowned. "I'll be fine. Don't stress."

Maura gently took one of Jane's hands, guiding it to rest on her thigh as she started skilfully kneading the muscles of Jane's arm. "Perhaps we've been overtaxing your limbs during our daily muscle rehabilitation sessions." She looked worried and guilty, and Jane felt herself melting a little bit.

"Maura, no. I'd have told you if it was too much." Another raised eyebrow. "What? I would have!" Chin lowered this time, regarding Jane through sceptical lashes. Jane wasn't quite sure how lashes could be sceptical, but Maura's sure were managing the task. "Seriously, Maura. I know how hard you've been working to help me. I wouldn't jeopardise your work for anything."

Maura smiled, and Jane smiled too. It was always a good day when she could make Maura smile. "You promise?"

"I promise." The two women stared into each other's eyes for a few moments as Maura turned her attentions to the other arm, kneading the kinks out just as quickly and efficiently as she had done the first time, even though this time she was not looking down to complete her task. Jane moaned quietly at the sheer relief, and watched in interest as Maura's eyes darkened perceptively. She rolled her shoulders, trying to rid herself of the tension that seemed to have suddenly built up there.

"Is your back sore?" Maura asked quietly and Jane froze, remembering the first time Maura had offered to massage her back, and the way she had freaked out, backing out of the room.

Seriously, what was up with _that_?

Must have been the whole plaster in the blood thing. Thank God that seemed to have cleared up, Jane had been getting seriously worried about her cognitive functions, and Maura seemed to not care one iota. Of course, Jane also couldn't tell her all her symptoms, but _whatever_. A little care would be nice.

"Uh, maybe. You know, with sitting at my desk all day... hunched over... typing..."

Maura clucked her tongue and made a spinning motion with her finger, encouraging Jane to turn around. "What have I told you about the importance of posture? You don't have to sit up entirely 'straight'... research has proven that that can be as bad for your back as 'slumping', but you do need to ensure you are sitting comfortably, that you have a supportive chair, your computer is at eye level, you..."

Jane let Maura's voice trail into obscurity as she melted beneath the skilful hands.

This? This was good.

Seriously, Jane didn't know _what_ she was so worked up about before. This was a _totally_ normal thing to happen between friends.

You know, including the whole eye contact thing. And lingering physical contact. The fact that apparently everyone in the whole entire universe thinks that she and Maura are a couple. _Completely_ normal. All of it.

_Especially_ the little kiss on the neck when Jane was almost asleep.

_Wait, what?_

_R&IR&IR&I_

"I'm confused."

"I'm sure that wouldn't take much."

"Har-de-har," Frankie replied, rolling his eyes. "You're so funny."

"I am, aren't I? Hey, what's this word say?" She thrust the folder at him, pointing at a word.

"Uh... o... no, s... snod... snodcet?"

"Nope, it's 'suspect'," Jane replied gleefully, taking the folder back.

"What? No!" He snatched it back, looking down at the word. "Wow, your writing has gotten even worse."

"It's not my writing!" Jane said, affronted. "It's Korsak's."

"Uh huh." Disbelief. How rude. God, Jane could write better than Korsak when she was still wearing _casts_, for Pete's sake.

Her writing still wasn't _brilliant_, but it was better than his.

_Anything you can do, I can do better_...

Jane shook her head slightly and rolled her eyes. "Why are you here?"

"I'm confused." He perched on the corner of her desk, and she narrowed her eyes up at him.

"Yes, you mentioned that. What _I'm _confused about is why you are confused."

"You're still living with Maura."

Jane dropped her gaze to the desk. "And?"

"And..." Frankie shrugged, "I mean, aren't you sick of each other yet? You're living together (for the moment anyway), you're working together..."

"Maura works downstairs!" Jane protested, then immediately wondered if _that_ was the part she should be protesting.

"Yes, and you go down to see her at least four times a day. And if you're not down there, she's up here, ensuring that you're looking after yourself and not 'overworking your muscles'..."

"Have you been spying on me?" Jane accused, and Frankie shrugged again.

"No. Not exactly. Just... curious."

Jane frowned. "Well, don't be. And no, we're not sick of each other. She's my best friend. I'm hers."

"See, and that's the part I'm confused about." Frankie hopped off the desk and crouched down beside Jane, trying to take her hands in his. She swatted them each time they came near her, so eventually he just rested them in his own lap. "Jane, are you involved with Maura?" He pitched his voice low so no one would overhear, but Jane's response was not quiet.

"WHAT?" Immediately, curious heads began turning her way. She slumped down in the seat so that she was less visible, and, when Frankie tried to take her hands again, she didn't fight him.

"You and Maura?" he asked again, unperturbed by her response.

"Me and Maura are _best friends,_" she paused, thinking, then corrected herself, "Maura and _I_." Frankie immediately raised a disbelieving eyebrow. "What? I've been living with a grammar freak for the past two months. I've picked up a few things."

"Yeah, which leads me _again_ to the question..."

"_No_, Frankie!"

He tilted his head, examining her closely. She squirmed under the scrutiny. "Are you sure?"

"Am I sure that I'm not having hot, steamy sex with our resident Medical Examiner? Oh, fairly sure."

Wow, maybe that whole plaster in the blood thing was still screwing with her head. Suddenly she felt unaccountably flushed, trying desperately to rid her brain of thoughts of Maura writhing beneath her, muscles taut with ecstasy...

Frankie screwed his face up at 'hot, steamy sex'. "_Jane!_ You're my sister. Please do _not_ say those words. I'd much rather believe you took a vow of chastity at some point..."

"_Frankie!"_ Jane imitated his tone. "Will you please just _leave_ it? Maura and I are _not_ a couple!"

He regarded her silently for a few seconds. Jane stared back resolutely, determinedly _not_ reaching up to touch her face to see if it felt as hot on the outside as it did on the inside. "Fine. But, you know, if you ever want to talk... I'm here. Just... not about sex, okay? Vow of chastity."

Jane rolled her eyes. "Fine. Whatever. But I won't want to talk. Because _we are not a couple._"

He shrugged, standing up and beginning to walk away, when Jane suddenly thought of something.

"_Frankie!_" she hissed, and he turned around, looking at her questioningly. She beckoned him over. When he got close enough, she grabbed his collar (thank God for Maura working hard to increase her muscle strength... she was actually able to do it hard enough to make his eyes widen momentarily in shock). "Do you know anything about a _bet_? About Maura and I?"

Frankie's eyes widened in slight panic. "Uh... no?"

"Nothing."

"Nothing?"

"So you," Jane began, tilting her head up to the ceiling as though in thought, "aren't, oh, I don't know... _involved_ in the bet or anything?"

"No?"

She shook her head, letting him go. He reeled backwards, rubbing his throat as he surveyed her suspiciously. "Don't ever get caught doing a crime, Frankie. You can't lie for shit."

He opened his mouth to retaliate, seemed to think better of it, and hightailed it out of there.

Jane sighed.

_Maura beneath her..._

_No, bad thoughts._

_Maura kissing her..._

_No, bad bad thoughts!_

_Death of Frankie..._

_Huh, good thoughts._

_And Frost, and Korsak, and MA..._

Jane grinned.

END CHAPTER TWELVE

_And cause you're all awesome, you're all totally gonna review this chapter too. Aren't you? *puppy dog eyes* Come on, who can resist the puppy dog look? If you can resist, you are heartless. HEARTLESS I SAY. Do you want to be heartless? DO YOU? Ha, didn't think so. :-D_

_LOL, yes, I am a dork. Proud of it too. :-D__Love to all! xoxo_


	14. Chapter 13

_You guys are all awesome. Seriously. SO MUCH LOVE AND AWKWARDLY LONG HUGS FOR ALL OF YOU. Plus kittens. Or puppies. They're the virtual kind, so they won't poop everywhere and no one will be allergic to them, yay! Plus they're cheap. :-D I honestly don't even know what I'm talking about half the time. I work with kids, all right? You gotta be at least a little crazy to do that. :-D_

_Anyways, spent the day at hospital again yesterday, still don't know what's wrong with me but on the bright side, I was able to spend time thinking about what I wanted to do with the next chapter, and I started typing it today! And finished typing it today! So here you go! :-P Still at least two more chapters before the (awkward/awful/awesome) sex scene though, I think. Maybe. I don't know. And also, I think I have a thing about bets... this is the second story I've written where everyone is betting on their relationship. But I mean, come on, wouldn't YOU be betting too, if you worked with them? Yeah, thought so. Me too. :-P_

_Onto the chapter!_

*****CHAPTER THIRTEEN – WEEK TEN*****

"I want to go back to work."

A sigh. "Jane, you are back at work."

Jane snorted. "No, I'm not."

"Technically, you are."

"_Technically_, you're full of shit." Maura opened her mouth and Jane quickly backtracked, not even wanting to _think_ about what Maura might have to say in reply to her crude statement. "Never mind."

Maura shook her head and reached over to the side table, picking up a magazine. _September 2003_, Jane just managed to read on the cover before it was opened, and wondered vaguely if doctor's offices have some unspoken rule about pieces of entertainment literature not being allowed inside until they have passed the 10 year mark. Maura started flipping through the pages while Jane tapped her fingers impatiently on her leg, sighing heavily every now and then. Each time she sighed, she glanced over at Maura, who was either completely involved in her little decade old entertainment news scandal, or was ignoring her.

Jane decided she preferred the first explanation.

After several minutes of almost complete silence (the only noise being the sound of pages turning and Jane's ever increasing sighs of boredom), Jane groaned, flinging herself back dramatically. "_Why_ are doctors always running late?"

"It's a very busy profession," Maura mumbled distractedly in response, not even glancing up from the page she seemed to be absolutely enthralled in.

Jane sighed, looking over at her. "What are you even looking at? I thought you didn't even _like_ entertainment magazines."

"I don't."

Jane leaned closer to peer down Maura's top, and, yep, hives.

_Oh, and boobs. I like boobs._

_Wait, what?_

Maura swatted her. "Okay, fine, I find them... entertaining."

"Hence the term 'entertainment magazines'," Jane replied, leaning back comfortably again, trying to ignore her flushed cheeks. "So what's got you so fascinated this time?"

"I just... I wasn't aware that Britney and Madonna were a couple," Maura said, holding out the magazine so that Jane could see a picture of the infamous kiss they'd shared at some music thing. She snorted and almost choked on some saliva.

"They're not a couple," she gasped out, after several minutes of coughing and Maura concernedly patting her on the back.

"They're not?" Maura looked down at the magazine again, brows furrowed in consternation. "Did they break up? That's sad."

"No, they were _never _a couple."

"So why are they kissing?"

"It's a publicity stunt, Maura."

"Oh." Maura frowned down at the picture as though the two singers had done her some great personal wrong by locking lips. "Well, why would they do that?"

Jane rolled her eyes. "Uh, for the publicity maybe? I mean, just a wild guess, seeing as how it was a _publicity stunt..._"

Maura stared at her for a minute before folding the magazine, throwing it back on the pile and angrily crossing her arms across her chest. "That's just wrong." Jane stared open mouthed.

What the?

"Uh... okay."

"They are making light of true lesbian relationships, and not only that, they are implying that women are open to all sorts of sexual scenarios, thereby making women as a whole appear 'loose'. It is disgusting, and sets back the equality movement by decades."

Jane was still caught on the word 'lesbian'. "Uh... 'lesbian'?"

"Yes! There are women out there, in relationships, who are truly, deeply in love. They would not regard kissing another woman as something to do merely as a 'publicity stunt', they would consider it cheating, and rightly so." Maura shook her head. "It's just wrong."

Jane blinked. "You do realize that this happened over a decade ago, and, as cute as your indignation is, it's pretty much useless by this point?"

Maura looked at her. "Did you just call me cute?"

"Uh..." Jane's mouth dropped open as she panicked. "No?"

"I'm pretty sure you did."

"I didn't."

"Mhm."

"I called your indignation cute. _Totally_ different thing."

Maura's eyes narrowed in suspicion, but just then the doctor's door opened and Jane leapt to her feet gratefully. "Hey Dr Tree... doc."

"Tereman," Maura hissed, and Jane waved her hand as though shooing away a fly.

"Whatever. Let's do this thing!"

And as she walked into the office behind Maura, she was pretty sure she saw her rolling her eyes. That was okay though because Maura was wearing this really tight dress, and...

"_OOF!_"

"This is how she hurt herself the first time, Doctor."

Jane sat on the floor rubbing her ass, glowering up at the two highly amused looking people in the room.

_Honestly. Some people are so _rude_._

_R&IR&IR&I_

"You know what this means, dontcha? I mean, dontcha? You _do_ know what this means, right?"

"You can go back to work?" Maura's tone was unimpressed, and Jane supposed it was because she hadn't shut up about the signed release form ever since she got it. Still, she couldn't find it in herself to feel guilty about it... she was just too excited.

"No! Well, yes... but it also means that my boxing gloves aren't evil anymore!"

Maura rolled her eyes. "Your boxing gloves were never _evil,_ Jane, they were simply off limits while your bones were continuing to heal."

"Whatever," Jane replied, waving a hand away to dismiss Maura's argument as one might shoo away a fly. "I missed boxing. It's a good... waddaya call it... release of tension."

Maura raised an eyebrow. "How much tension would you _have_, considering all you've done lately is type, watch TV and spend time with me?"

"There's Ma too!" Jane replied defensively, trying not to think about _why_ spending time with Maura seemed to be the cause of the majority of her coiled muscles and racing heart.

Maura tilted her head to the side in a 'can't argue with that' kind of way, and Jane nodded, satisfied.

There was silence in the car for a few minutes, and Jane glanced over at Maura curiously. There was an odd air in the car, of things unsaid... since Jane had nothing _she_ particularly wanted to blurt out, she figured it must be Maura.

Finally, "Jane?"

"Maura?"

"Have you..." she trailed off, and Jane turned in the passenger seat so she could look at Maura properly. Maura, of course, kept her eyes resolutely on the road.

"Yes?" Jane prompted, when it seemed nothing further was forthcoming, and Maura sighed.

"Never mind."

"Come on, Maura, you're about to spontaneously combust! Will you just tell me?"

"Spontaneous human combustion is actually a highly debated topic among scientists. While there have been cases that seem to call for that cause of death and nothing else seems even remotely appropriate, the exact science behind it is beyond our current knowledge. _How_ does it happen? I actually wrote a paper on this very topic, and..."

Jane groaned. "Maura! Just tell me, _without_ going off on one of your Googlemouth rampages."

Maura frowned. "I don't go on rampages."

"I beg to differ," Jane mumbled, then let out a breath, staring hard.

Maura turned her head briefly, and did a quick double take at the look on Jane's face. "Uh..."

Jane raised an eyebrow, waiting. Finally, "'Uh?' You _have _been spending too much time with me."

She deliberately ignored the sadness that rose in her at the thought of spending _less _time with Maura, and just continued to stare hard at her.

"Haveyouheardanythingaboutabet?" Maura finally asked, very quickly and barely opening her mouth, as though trying to not let the words escape.

Jane, meanwhile, felt as though her heart was simultaneously sinking, doing a tap dance, leaping for joy, and was curled up in a corner holding a teddy bear, sucking its thumb.

She kinda wondered if it was possible for a single organ to develop bipolar.

"Uh... a bet? What kind of bet?" The words sounded forced, even to her own ears, but Maura didn't seem to pick up on it.

Seriously, dumbest genius ever.

"A bet about... about me and you." Maura had pulled up outside the BPD now and was picking at her thumb, deliberately avoiding eye contact.

"Uh..." Jane began intelligently, but Maura interrupted.

"I mean, I heard it from Mo and I wondered if he was just exaggerating, especially as he seemed very prevaricating and evasive when I asked additional questions, but then I heard it from someone else and they said the same thing... I don't think I was _supposed_ to hear it, but it's not really eavesdropping if you're standing in the break room and they're talking about it _right outside,_ is it?"

She looked earnest and worried. Jane smiled despite herself. "Uh, no. You have ears; you couldn't help but overhear it."

"You're sure?"

"I'm sure."

"Okay. But I was wondering, because maybe if _I've_ heard of it, _you've_ heard of it, and why is it their business anyway? I mean, it's not like if we _were_, we would allow it to affect our professional relationship _anyway_, but they are making money on it, and speculating, and..."

Seeing that Maura was getting more and more worked up the longer she talked, Jane quickly laid a hand on her shoulder. "Hey, hey, shhh. It's okay." She took a deep breath and steeled herself to ask the next question, hoping against hope that she was wrong, that the bet _she_ knew about was not the bet _Maura_ now apparently knew about. "What were they betting about?"

Maura looked at Jane warily, then quickly reached over and pushed the button that activated the central locking, trapping Jane in the car.

_Crap, that's not good._

_Well, it kinda is, actually..._

_Shut up, Jane._

"They were taking and making wagers on whether or not..." she paused, biting her lip, and Jane felt herself staring down at the white teeth and pink, glossy, shiny lips of a goddess...

_Snap out of it!_

"We are a couple," Maura finally finished, and Jane whipped her gaze back up to her eyes, snapping out of her trance.

"What?"

"On whether or not you and I are..."

"I heard you."

Maura rolled her eyes but wisely didn't say anything further, just stared at Jane.

"Why is it any of their business?"

Maura bit her lip.

"I mean, what gives them the right to talk about us?"

Maura's eyes widened.

"It's just ridiculous."

Maura nodded her head slightly.

"As though you'd ever go out with me anyway."

_Oh shit. Oh shit oh shit oh shit._

Maura tilted her head on the side. "I wouldn't say that." She unlocked the doors and hopped out of the car. "I'll see you tonight at home?"

Jane just stared at her with an open mouth as Maura shut the car door again, sashaying her way over to the front doors, hips swinging in a way that Jane was _sure_ had to be illegal somewhere.

_What just happened?_

END CHAPTER THIRTEEN

_Please review, because I know you want to. I will give everyone a virtual kitten/puppy if they do. The terms of conditions are: you must have a good imagination and be willing to accept the fact that I OWN YOUR SOUL *cough* I mean, um, that you have a cute kitten/puppy. Deal? Deal! :-D_

_Yup, I'm a psycho on pain meds. Ah well._

_Lunch time now. Om nom nom. :-)_


	15. Chapter 14

_Ahh... okay, I got a review from a guest reviewer, and it wasn't horrible or anything... I actually really appreciated it, because it was constructive criticism which is what every writer needs to improve... but it said that sometimes it felt like the humour was forced in this story. Does anyone else feel this way? I don't ever feel like I'm_ _forcing myself to be funny when I don't want to be, but maybe that's what's coming across. OPINIONS PLEASE. I mean, this story will never be serious. It's a humour fic, it's not meant to be even remotely serious, but I don't want it to feel forced. But now I'm rambling, so I'll leave it here. Just let me know pretty please!_

_Oh and also the same guest reviewer made reference to the OTHER guest reviewer who had issues with me making Jane and Maura say 'anyways'... I don't think I have EVER made them say 'anyways'. I certainly couldn't find it in the word document of this story, and I don't change much, if anything, when I post it up here, so I'm not quite sure what that's about... I'M the one who says it all the time, not the characters._

_**Quick note:** this chapter is like... the silliest thing EVER. I don't know, it popped into my head, and I've always wanted to do a story based around Jo and Bass, so... I don't know. This happened. If you don't want to read it (because it IS rather silly, and it hasn't got any crucial plot points or anything), here's the summary: Jane comes to her senses and realizes what everyone else already knew. Everyone else, please enjoy!_

_Oh, and also, 3 chapter updates in just over 48 hours. How awesome am I? No need to tell me. I know I'm fabulous. :-P FIGJAM, mate, FIGJAM! :-D LOL_

*****CHAPTER FOURTEEN – WEEK TEN CONT.*****

"So, I have a problem, and I figure you're a good one to talk to because you know both of us... you know _me_ particularly well... and, well, I want your opinion. I _need_ your opinion actually, because I'm kinda thinking that maybe I'm losing my mind. And at first I thought it was that maybe I'd, you know, somehow contracted some plasteritis or castitis disease, but now I'm thinking that maybe I _never_ had anything wrong with me, maybe this is something that's _always_ been there, and I've just suppressed it, you know? Like when you get sunburnt, but it doesn't hurt until you look at yourself in the mirror and _realize_ you're sunburnt, you know what I mean? Oh. Well, maybe you don't. But still... I just need someone to talk to, and bounce ideas off of, and... just help me. Because you know her too, and I _know_ you don't know her as well as I do, but sometimes an outsider's voice is appreciated, sometimes an outsider can see things that those on the inside can't. So are you..." Jane paused, finally taking a deep breath, "are you willing to listen?"

Jo Friday cocked her head on the side.

Jane took that as a yes.

She hesitated, looking around her somewhat dusty home. "Has my apartment always been so... small?"

Jo cocked her head to the other side.

"I _like_ staying with Maura, and I really don't wanna leave, you know? And it's not because she has a big house, it's just 'cause of her. But then, I think... what if she's getting sick of me, but doesn't know how to tell me? So that's why I had to kidnap you from Maura's home and bring you here, because if I chat to you there I'd be able to _smell_ her, and that won't help my thought processes and I'm already going crazy thinking about her, and..."

Jo sneezed, shook herself, and then proceeded to plant her butt on the floor, lift her hind leg up and start scratching her ear.

"Are you even listening?"

Jo was apparently distracted by her lifted leg as her head went down, her tongue came out and...

"Oh, really? I let you lick my face with that tongue, ew. Though, you kinda have the idea of what I'm talking about. But I'm sorry, I'm not talking about that with you."

Jo stood up and stretched languidly, casually walking out of the room.

"Jo! Don't be like that!" Nothing. Jane sighed, walking over to the cupboard. "Do you want some chow?" She shook the packet of dog food temptingly, trying to coax Jo into coming back and listening to her rambling thought processes.

Nothing.

"Do you to go for a walk?"

Nope.

She sighed, finally pulling out the big guns: "Do you want to go back to Maura's?"

Click, click, click. Jo danced into view, yipping happily.

"That'd be right." Jane rolled her eyes, reaching down to capture the dog before she locked up and headed back downstairs to the car. "Traitor."

_R&IR&IR&I_

_Well, desperate times call for desperate measures._

"Bass! I have some strawberries for you! Bass? Here, boy!" She whistled, then immediately wondered if he would even respond to a whistle. Come to think of it, she didn't even know how good the hearing _was_ of African Spurred Tortoises... considering all of Maura's ramblings about them, you'd think she'd have mentioned something about that. God, Jane knew about normal 'faecal' consistencies, normal eye colour and appearance, how often they pee... really, far more than she _needed_ to know. She probably knew more about tortoises than she did about humans, come to think of it...

Jane walked from room to room, shaking the strawberries coaxingly, ignoring Jo who was excitedly streaking about the place like she was on drugs, sniffing everything as though something might have changed in the 2.5 seconds she was out of the apartment.

Okay, so it was more like half an hour, but whatever. It was completely unnecessary for her to show _that_ much excitement.

Jane ignored her for the most part, but when she eventually heard an excited barking coming from Maura's office, she decided to follow it.

Jo was standing at the desk, yipping excitedly in her 'I'm so pleased to see you, I thought I'd never ever see you again EVER' manner at whatever was underneath. Jane crouched down to see... Bass.

To be precise, Bass looking at Jo with what seemed to be murder in his eyes.

Considering that he was actually quite fond of Jo most of the time, Jane could only conclude that he was unhappy that Jo had led her owner to him.

"Hi Bass," she said, a winning smile on her face. The tortoise turned its murderous gaze on her and Jane found herself gulping, wondering if a tortoise had ever actually committed murder before. _Probably not_, she mused, _it would probably be classed under 'accidental death' or something... _"Uh... I bought you strawberries." She held out the piece of fruit by its stem, but quickly wrenched her hand back when he made a snap at something that was definitely _not_ fruit. "Hey! Don't be like that!"

Bass stared back unrepentantly, and she sighed.

"I'm sorry for calling you a parrot, okay?"

He stared at her.

"_And_ a turtle. You are a tortoise. A... oh crap, what was it..." she tapped her chin, trying to remember, "Geochelone Sulcata... African Spurred Tortoise, and a nice one at that. Okay?"

He seemed to regard her with a critical eye for a few moments. She waited patiently. Finally, he walked out, regally depositing himself at her feet.

"Uh. I need to talk to you."

He seemed to nod.

"Shall we go to the living room?"

Bass stared. She turned around, feeling a little bit silly, but soon heard the familiar 'clump' of his feet behind her.

"I can't believe I'm talking to a turtle. And I made fun of Maura for talking to a shoe..." she mumbled. Bass stretched his neck out to nip lightly at her ankle. "Ow! Sorry, _tortoise_. God." He nipped again. "Ow! Will you _please_ stop doing that? Fine, it's not silly at all that I'm talking to a turt – tortoise. Happy now?"

He closed one eye and kept following her. She sighed, finally depositing herself on the couch.

Bass settled in front of her, staring hard, still with one eye closed.

"Okay, so I left work early."

Bass closed the second eye. She hurried to continue, feeling as though Bass was saying 'Well, duh'.

"Uh, anyway, I left work early because I wanted to talk about Maura. I tried talking to Jo, but... well, you know dogs, right?" she said jokingly, hoping to engage in some species related humour. Bass opened both eyes and looked at her. "Right. Uh... so there are people at work that have a bet going about us. And it kinda got me thinking. Like, I mean, things I was already thinking about, but not _consciously_ thinking about, you know?"

Bass stared at her.

"I mean, I think it all started with the broken wrists thing. She was helping me _so much_ and... I don't know, can that result in feelings being created that weren't there before? Like, Stockholm Syndrome or something?"

Bass turned his head to the side.

"Okay, no, that wouldn't be it. That's like... abuse victims. I know that. But, could it be something similar?"

Bass didn't look at her.

"You think I've had these feelings the whole time."

Bass looked at her.

"No, I can't. I can't have."

Bass turned away again.

"Oh, stop being like that. You know I don't _really_ think that it's some weird syndrome."

He looked at her and slowly blinked one eye.

"I mean... I guess I _really_ think that it's been there forever. But it's like being sunburnt. You know, you don't feel it until you look in the mirror and notice it... then it hurts like hell."

Bass' mouth opened slightly.

"Right, why do I keep describing it as sunburn to creatures that have never been sunburnt... can tortoises even get sunburnt? Probably not." She opened the packet of strawberries next to her and moved as though to bite into it, but Bass moved forward. "Oh, sorry. Here you go, these are yours." She offered him the strawberry and he happily bit into it. She waited for him until it seemed like he had finished chewing before continuing. "I mean, I blamed you for me hurting myself, but I wasn't paying attention. I was staring at Maura. And," she glanced down at her hand, stained red with strawberry juice, "I lied when I said that I thought she had something on her dress."

Bass tilted his head up to the ceiling. Jane took it as a tortoise eye roll.

"I don't want to go home, Bass. Jo loves it here... I love it here..."

He lowered his head again and stared at her.

"I think... I think Maura likes having me here too."

Bass blinked.

"I think..." Jane sighed heavily, "I think I love her. I think I'm _in _love with her."

Bass looked at her thoughtfully, then opened his mouth. A piece of strawberry rolled out, covered in tortoise saliva. He nudged it towards Jane.

"Oh... a tortoise feels sorry for me. How wonderful."

Jo chose that moment to jump on Jane's lap, depositing her very favourite, very slobbery stick in Jane's hand.

She sighed. "Thanks guys. Thanks for the chat."

Jo immediately hopped down onto Bass' back, balancing gleefully as Bass carefully took them both out of the room, and Jane noticed for the first time how careful he was when responsible for Jo. Normally, he was a little bit reckless, bumping into coffee tables and chairs, but when he had Jo on his back, he never even came close to the furniture, choosing instead to move slowly and cautiously to cater for the enjoyment of his friend.

_Kind of like me and Maura. I'm Bass... she's Jo..._

Jane sighed. She couldn't be sitting here thinking about their respective pets. She had bigger things to think about now.

Such as... how to tell Maura she was in love with her without screwing everything up.

_Well, fuck. I'm screwed, aren't I?_

END CHAPTER FOURTEEN

_Okay, so are all of you reviewers enjoying your virtual cats and dogs? Some people may not like cats or dogs, so I thought this time I would offer virtual horses, teddy bears and/or... umm... dolphins. Free to feed! Just remember terms and conditions: must have good imagination and accept that I own your soul!_

_Seriously, wtf is this pain medication doing to me? I'm going loopy. __And everyone who knows me in real life, if they read that, is saying 'GOING loopy? Too late!' LOL_

_Anyways. In all seriousness, I will love you forever if you review. :-D Love to all! xoxo_


	16. Chapter 15

_Thanks for all the lovely reviews! You guys are awesome! Okay, so I had a couple of requests wanting to see things from Maura's POV... and at first I was like ahh, can I really do that? Cause I've spent the whole story telling it from Jane's side... but then I realized that wasn't true, because chapter 4 (technically 5, but it's called chapter 4) is actually told from Maura's POV, plus it's my story and I can do what I want with it, so there._

_Wait, you guys weren't arguing with me. Okay Katie, focus._

_Ahem. Anyways, I've actually been wanting to tell things from Maura's side for a while now... PLUS tackle a whole other issue altogether that would have been rather challenging to write from Jane's POV... so... I hope you enjoy? :-)_

_This chapter is going to be kind of serious, for the first half in particular... but stick with me, the funnies will be coming back soon!_

_Onto the chapter!_

*****CHAPTER FIFTEEN – WEEK ELEVEN*****

Maura had known this was coming. She'd _known_ it. It was Jane's job.

Still didn't make it any easier.

When Jane had told her that the team had figured out who had killed their latest victim, at first Maura felt happy. Happy, and even a bit (read: a lot) proud. But then Jane said she was going to go _with_ them to help arrest him... that's when Maura felt her heart rate pick up inexplicably. She had managed to calm herself down, however, by reminding herself that Jane was a professional at what she did... but she still couldn't stop herself from looking at the clock every few minutes.

"Dr. Isles?" Susie's voice rang through the morgue, her quiet tone startling Maura enough that it seemed as though she'd shouted. Maura jumped, almost falling off the stool she was sitting on. She had been looking at online shopping sites all morning, in an effort to distract herself. She was sure that there was probably something else she _should_ be doing, but for the life of her, she couldn't think of it.

"What?"

Susie's eyes widened slightly, and Maura winced, only just realizing how snappy her tone had been. "Sorry, Susie. What do you need?"

"I... I was just w-wondering..." she began nervously, and Maura forced a smile to her face, encouraging her to continue. Susie stopped, however, putting her head on the side and seeming to examine Maura closely. "I... I don't know if this is inappropriate... I mean, you're my boss, but... do you want to talk about something?"

"About what?" Maura felt a wave of tiredness suddenly washing over her, and she closed her eyes wearily, only to open them almost instantly and glance at the clock again. Two hours, 27 minutes since Jane had left.

Susie cautiously walked closer, blocking Maura's view of the time. She glared, twisting her body to look at it again.

Two hours, 28 minutes.

Slowly, hesitatingly, "It's Detective's Rizzoli first proper day out in the field today."

Maura shook her head. "No, Susie, she received her release form five days ago. It's her _fourth_ day out on the field."

"'In' the field," Susie corrected absently. "Yes, but those first three days were pretty basic, right? It was... it was more about looking at the body, looking at the evidence, putting clues together... interviewing family members..." she coughed suddenly, looking amazed at her own courage to talk about this sort of thing so frankly.

"What's your point?" Maura said, tilting to look at the clock again.

Two hours, 30 minutes.

"I... I just..." Susie sighed. "It's the first day when she's actively pursuing someone intensely dangerous..."

Both women simultaneously turned sad eyes on the drawer that held the beaten, raped, murdered and ultimately dismembered young woman whose death they had been investigating.

"... I'd be worried too."

Maura turned to look at her. "I'm not worried."

Susie simply raised an eyebrow.

"I'm not."

Susie bit her lip.

Maura deflated, glancing at the clock again.

Two hours, 33 minutes.

"Do you love her?" Susie asked quietly.

Maura stared at her. She opened her mouth a few times, shutting it with a snap each time when words seemed unwilling to come. "...I..." She closed her mouth again and stared helplessly.

Susie seemed to understand though. She came over and, with what seemed like an effort of Herculean proportions, shakily lifted a hand and placed it tremblingly upon Maura's shoulder. It stayed there for a few seconds before she let it drop, and then she walked out of the room, all while Maura stared at her.

She vaguely wondered if Susie had taken place in the bet that seemed to be going around BPD.

She glanced at the clock again.

Two hours, 36 minutes.

She let her head drop to the desk with a groan.

_R&IR&IR&I_

3 hours, 51 minutes.

Maura was fairly certain that she had bought every single thing there was to buy on eBay. She was also fairly certain that she had spent an absurd amount of money.

She also knew that she was being completely ridiculous, that this was Jane's _job_, but _knowing_ it, and _being able to stop_ it were two completely different things.

3 hours, 53 minutes.

"Hey Maura." Jane came strolling in the door, as casually as though she had been gone mere minutes instead of almost four hours, as though she _hadn't_ just been out pursuing a horrible, violent individual, as though Maura hadn't been worried sick and bitten her nails down to the quick.

Maura stood up, absolutely furious. She stormed over to Jane, intent on giving her a piece of her mind, but found herself throwing her arms around Jane's shoulders instead, forcing her into a sort of stooping position so that she could hug Maura back.

Maura buried her face in Jane's hair (smelling of her vanilla shampoo, and sweat, and something so uniquely _Jane_), and just breathed, trying to control her racing heart, trying to calm the thoughts that tossed and rolled about in her head like sailboats in a tempest.

An unidentifiable amount of time later (could have been seconds, could have been an hour), Maura heard footsteps behind them and a quiet, "Ahem." She lifted her head out of its newfound pillow and glared at Korsak, who looked suitably cowed by the look, but still continued, "Uh, sorry Dr Isles, but I've gotta get Jane back upstairs to booking."

Maura pulled back to look in Jane's eyes. "You haven't finished with the suspect yet?" she asked quietly. Jane flushed.

"No. I, uh... I wanted to see you first."

"Oh..." Maura breathed softly, and the two looked into each other's eyes, until... "Ahem."

This time, both women turned to glare.

"Right. I'll just be... collecting some money then. I'll see you upstairs soon."

Jane threw the nearest object at his retreating back – a box of tissues – and turned back to Maura. There was silence for a few minutes. "I, uh... I better get upstairs."

"Of course."

Jane leaned forward - slightly awkward in her expectation - but Maura happily stepped back into the embrace. Jane was wearing slight heels that day, while Maura was wearing flats, and both women found that they loved the accentuated height difference.

"I'll see you at home?" Jane asked, and Maura nodded.

"Yes. I'm going now, so..." she sighed, "I'll see you later."

"Right." Slowly, Jane stepped back and moved over to the door, hesitating briefly to look back.

Maura smiled, and, as Jane finally walked away, the thought hit her once again like a lightning bolt.

_I'm in love with her_.

_R&IR&IR&I_

"Psst!" Maura whispered, as soon as she walked into her home. She felt somewhat ridiculous, but she wanted to make sure Angela hadn't decided to pop over. "_Pssst_," she said, somewhat louder as she crept throughout the house, feeling almost like a burglar. At the thought, hives threatened beneath her skin and she rolled her eyes at herself, standing up straight. It was only at that point that she detected movement out of the corner of her eye, and she whirled around to find Bass, surveying her with confusion (and some concern, if African Spurred Tortoises can be said to show such an emotion), with Jo Friday panting happily on her back, seeming unperturbed by the whole thing.

"Oh, hi Bass."

He stared hard at her for a few minutes before slowly turning around and bobbing his head once. That seemed to be some sort of cue, as Jo Friday instantly hopped off his shell, walking alongside. Bass turned his head to look back at Maura, then began gradually making his way out of the room.

Confused, Maura followed. Jo Friday got sick of the steady pace Bass set after a while, and began excitedly tearing circles around the two as they walked, while both Maura and Bass regarded her with amusement and some exasperation.

"Where are you taking me, Bass?" Maura asked out loud before rolling her eyes at her own foolishness. Bass would hardly be able to understand her, and, even if he could, he would be physically incapable of responding. Or at the very least, physically incapable of responding in a manner she understood. At this thought she stopped dead in her tracks, resolving to go upstairs and draw herself a nice soothing bath, but Bass turned his head and uttered a sort snort, almost like a pigs snort. She looked at him in amazement.

"Did you just _snort_ at me?"

He snorted louder, opening his mouth wide.

Shaking her head, she nodded her head for him to proceed and, amazingly, he did so. It wasn't that she didn't know that tortoises could make sound, or even that she didn't know what sound Bass would make, because of course she did, it was just that he had _never_ made a sound that she was aware of his entire life. Well, except for when he was a baby, and he would wake up in the middle of the night 'crying'. Ever since then... well, Maura ensured to keep on top of his needs, so he never had to verbally remind her to feed him or take him outside. She pondered the whole situation as finally Bass situated himself facing the couch. He swung his head towards it, and Maura took the hint, settling herself down and staring into Bass' unblinking eyes.

"I'm in love with her," she blurted out suddenly, unexpectedly, and Bass closed his eyes.

She wondered if she should take offence at the way it seemed to say '_finally, for the love of God!'_

"I don't want her to move out."

Bass opened his eyes and stared at her again, while Jo finally seemed to tire of her running jag, leapt up onto the couch and snuggled into her side. Maura couldn't find it in herself to get cross at her for being on the furniture when Jo stared up at her with big, understanding eyes.

"What if she doesn't feel the same way?"

Both tortoise and dog let out a huff of air simultaneously.

"What? You think she does?"

Bass and Jo looked at each other, then back to Maura.

She sighed.

"I was scared today, guys. I was worried that... I mean, she's been safe for more than 9 weeks. Well, as safe as one can be when one takes into account the possibilities and probabilities regarding automobile accidents, bathroom slip and falls, gardening..."

Jo yawned.

Maura looked down at her, somewhat affronted. "Right. Sorry. As I was saying however... today was her first _real_ day out on... _in_... the field, and she was getting this guy who did..." she shook her head, "horrible things, and... I was scared. I just wanted to know that she was safe."

Bass moved his head up and down slowly, while Jo rested her little head on Maura's lap, looking up at her lovingly.

"It's not that I want her to stay home forever. It's not that at all! I love her for doing what she does, for being as amazing at it as she is, I just..." she stopped and shook her head, "... what if... what if something happens... and she never knows how... how I..." she stopped, unable to articulate the rest of what she wanted to say, but Jo reached out and licked her hand softly, soothing her.

It struck Maura then, how much their pets were like their respective owners. Jo was wild and fiery, tearing about the house as though she was on speed, while Bass was more sedate and laid back, but – and this point was pounded home when Jo leapt from the couch and fell a little awkwardly, Bass immediately moving to her side – their other sides came out around each other. Bass was more willing to take risks when Jo was around encouraging her, yet Jo also slowed down to allow Bass to keep up.

_I'm Bass. She's Jo. We're an odd pair, but inseparable nonetheless._

Maura sighed. What was she going to do now?

END CHAPTER FIFTEEN

_Okay, so everyone's had enough of their virtual pets? How about... VIRTUAL COOKIES? I have sugar free, lactose free, peanut free, gluten free, chocolate free, and then of course the good old kind that are full of all that shit and SO DAMN DELICIOUS. Ahem. Cough. But hey, they're virtual cookies so at least they're not fattening, right? LOL. ONLY TO THE REVIEWERS THOUGH. You want a cookie, you leave a review. *nods decisively*_

_In all seriousness though, please let me know what you think of this chapter. It's something I wanted to get out but I'm not sure how I did, and I'm sick of staring at it and rewriting it. Let me know :-)_

_Love to all! xoxo_


	17. Chapter 16

_Okay. You guys are seriously awesome. LONG AWKWARD CUDDLES FOR EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU. 300 REVIEWS! 300! I didn't even realize I was getting close to 300! YAY *does a crazy happy dance* *notices everyone staring* *slowly stops* Ahem. Anyways..._

_Now, this chapter goes back to Jane's POV, and the story will probably remain in her point of view for the majority of... however much is left of it. I've been thinking about it, and I'm going to try to make it (the transition from friendship to 'more') as lifelike as possible. As in... it's nice when people in the movies are like 'We've been friends for years, but I've always felt more' and the other person says 'OMG me too! Let's go get married and have a billion babies together and never ever feel awkward about crossing this invisible line!' because, well, that's movies, and they're fiction, and they're really not ever meant to be taken seriously. And even though this is fiction too, I'd rather not have it be like that... I want to showcase the awkwardness that comes with such a drastic change to a relationship... I want to show the ride as a bumpy, yet totally worthwhile, one. In other words, I'd like to take the liberties that are denied those that can only portray their story through moving pictures... I'd like to explain the characters' emotions and thoughts too._

_Well... that's the plan anyway. We'll have to see how I go on that front :-P_

_Oh, and also? I know nothing about insurance and pipes and stuff, so just... go with the flow on this one, okay? Couldn't be bothered researching this time. :-P_

_Onto the chapter!_

*****CHAPTER SIXTEEN – WEEK TWELVE*****

What woke Jane up that morning was a steady _plink ssszzsss plink_ noise. Gradually opening bleary eyes, she looked around for the source of her disturbance, finally swinging her feet over the side of the bed when it did not immediately make its presence visible to her.

And... her feet were over an inch deep in water.

_Awesome._

"MAURA!" Jane yelled, immediately sitting back on the bed and pulling her feet up out of the _very _mushy carpet.

_Oh, and look. There's the source of the noise._

As she lay back on the bed at an angle, supporting her body on her elbows and holding her feet up, she found herself looking at the roof. More specifically, at a corner of the roof that had a large, almost perfectly circular wet spot that was alternating between dripping and drizzling onto a table in the corner. The water ran off the table in a steady, almost hypnotic stream, getting lost in the already saturated carpet.

"MAURA!"

"What?" the voice sounded a little bit exasperated, which Jane supposed she couldn't blame her for... weeks of being woken up the same way simply to take Jane to the toilet (and then _wipe her ass..._ Jane was still desperately trying to erase _those_ memories from her mind) must have been frustrating, even though it was now more than five weeks ago. Jane simply waited, surmising that the problem would make itself known to Maura probably long before Jane even got more than one word out, judging by the state of things in here.

"Ohhh..."

_Yep, there it is._

A steady sloshing noise announced Maura's arrival, and Jane simply raised an eyebrow when, with effort (the wood obviously having swollen from the moisture), Maura managed to shove the door open, gazing into the room with obvious dismay.

"I'm _wet_," Jane complained, but caught herself when Maura's eyebrow raised almost imperceptibly. "My _feet_ are wet."

Maura sloshed her way further into the room, peering up at the dark patch on the ceiling. "Evidently a pipe has burst."

"No, really, Sherlock?"

Maura rolled her eyes. "Sarcasm will not assist the situation."

"Really?" Jane asked, with mock surprise, "But I'm so good at it!"

Maura turned, placing her hands on her hips as she did so, opening her mouth to say something but was seemingly distracted by Jane's position and raised an eyebrow at her. "Is there some reason you are sitting there with your feet dangling in mid air?"

"Uh... they got wet," Jane began, in a 'well, _duh_' tone, "so I couldn't put them back on the bed."

"Why couldn't you put them back on the floor then?"

"The floor is _wet_, Maura!"

Maura simply looked at her.

Jane frowned, already feeling the impending sense of doom that came whenever the realization dawned that she was losing the argument.

As she _always_ did when it came to arguing with Maura.

Seriously, best friend who's a genius? _Don't argue with them. EVER._

"And?" Maura finally prompted, when it seemed like Jane was too busy inner monologuing to say anything further.

"And..." Jane floundered, "I don't know what's in it!"

"It's not as though you're _drinking_ it, Jane. You are _walking_ in it... or you will be, very shortly. Unless you have open cuts on your feet – which, to my knowledge, you do not – you will come to no harm walking through this water. Which, by the way, appears to come from a burst pipe, not a sewage line."

Jane wrinkled her nose at the thought of waking up to... _yep, that goes in the 'do not think about EVER' pile._

"Aren't you a plumber's  
daughter? Shouldn't you know this?" Maura asked.

Jane glowered.

"Plus, I appreciate your thoughts about not wanting to put your wet feet on the bed," Maura finally continued, when she evidently came to the realization that Jane wasn't saying anything more, "but have you actually looked at it?"

Jane looked down. "Looked at what?"

"The bed. I do not think it will be salvageable."

Jane frowned, sat up, and looked over the side of the bed, finally seeing just how water it had already soaked up from the carpet. She lowered her legs with a sigh. Maura smiled in a self-satisfied, cat-that-ate-the-canary type of way, crossing her arms across her chest and Jane rolled her eyes and stood up, sloshing her way out of the room in as dignified a manner as one can in Elmo pyjamas.

_Stupid Maura and stupid pipes and where the hell is Jo, huh? Couldn't warn me about the flood in my room, no, she just saves herself, stupid dog..._

Jane stomped out to the kitchen as loudly as possible, her wet feet making satisfying slaps against the tiles.

_R&IR&IR&I_

"Okay. No, I understand. My level of coverage... I'm sorry? No, I misunderstood, what did you say? Oh. Well, yes..."

"Maura, where's the peanut butter?"

Maura waved a hand at Jane to be quiet. Jane frowned.

"Okay, so what will that entitle me to? Yes, I understand. Well, the plumber..."

Jane waved a sheet of paper with _'peanut butter?'_ scrawled across it messily in front of Maura's face. Maura swatted her hand away. Jane pouted.

"Ahem, I apologize. The plumber said it was relatively simple job to fix, but of course..."

Jane began opening cupboards and drawers, searching once more for the elusive peanut butter. She thought she was being reasonably quiet, but Maura appeared to disagree, frowning at Jane and waving her hand in a 'cut-it-out' gesture. Jane threw herself into a chair and stared moodily at the phone that was taking all of Maura's attention.

"... of course the structural damage and furniture replacement will take significantly longer. Estimated time? Oh..."

Maura looked at Jane who had suddenly waved her hand and was quickly scrawling on a piece of paper. Jane held up the note. _'Fluff?'_ Maura rolled her eyes.

"... approximately a week, though hopefully less."

Jane slowly screwed up the piece of paper, staring up at the ceiling.

"Right. Yes. Okay, well, the thing is... well, that's lovely, but... I..." Jane looked up, curious as to why Maura sounded hesitant. She didn't have to wait long to find out. "The thing is... I've actually been living with... someone... lately, so would I be able to...?" Maura paused, listening. "Well, no, not... not like that..." she cleared her throat awkwardly. "I just... you're offering me a lovely one bedroom apartment, but can... can we make it a less decadent room with... you know, _two_ bedrooms?"

Jane sat up, listening intently now.

"Well, no... yes, I see what you mean. I just... yes, of course I read the terms and conditions when I set up my insurance with you!" Maura sounded offended at the very suggestion that she _hadn't_, and Jane had to cough suddenly so as to avoid laughing at Maura's higher pitched tone of voice. "No... no, I understand, I just... of course. Of course." She sighed heavily. "Yes, thank you. Thank you. Goodbye."

She pulled the phone away from her ear, pushing the disconnect button and staring sadly at it as though the phone had done her a great disservice.

"Well, that's good news, right? Your insurance company is willing to put you up in a hotel for a week while your place gets sorted?"

Jane tried not to think about what this meant for her, and, for about the 34,365th time that morning, she cursed the stupid burst pipe that created this whole mess in the first place.

Maura jerked as though startled out of a daydream. "Uh... yes. Yes, it's good news."

"And they're willing to pay for repairs?"

"Yes." Maura sighed. "And for the furniture that will undoubtedly need to be replaced."

Jane poked dejectedly at the screwed up piece of paper on the table. "I _liked_ that bed too."

"I did too, Jane." Something in her tone made Jane glance up sharply, and she realized that Maura looked almost as though she were about to cry.

"Hey! Hey, I'm sorry... I'm sorry..." Glancing around the kitchen desperately, Jane finally spied a box of tissues sitting on the counter and made a frantic lunge, almost punching Maura in the face with the box in her efforts to get them to her quickly. "Look, I'll go shopping with you... we'll get the exact same bed... same model, everything. Hell, I'll even help you buy the same bedside tables... lamps... sheets..."

"It's not that," Maura sniffed, pulling a tissue out of the box even though the tears threatening had not yet fallen. "It's stupid."

Jane laid a hand across Maura's, wondering vaguely in the back of her mind if it had _always_ felt like an electric shock to have skin to skin contact with her.

_Shut up, Jane, this is NOT the time._

_It's NEVER the time in fact, so just... shut it._

"It's _not_ stupid, Maura. If you feel bad about it, it is definitely _not_ stupid."

Maura turned her hand beneath Jane's so that their fingers could lace together. She breathed in and out deeply, as though trying to calm herself.

"They'll only pay for a one bedroom apartment."

"So?" Jane was happily living in denial land and she wasn't coming out of it, thank you very much.

_Nuh uh. No way._

"So... you'll probably have to... have to move back to your apartment."

_Goddamn it, Maura. I liked my denial land. Why'd you take it away from me?_

Maura was studying her face intently, and, when Jane neglected to say anything: "I mean, you've probably been pretty eager to move back for a while now, maybe you've just been staying here to make _me _feel better... but now's your chance. Because they're only paying for a one bedroom apartment, and did you know the percentage of people that are 'out of towners' that stay in hotel rooms? It's not as high as you might think, a surprising number of people stay in hotel rooms that live quite close... according to a recent study, the top reasons cited were the ease of the commute to work and the ease of meals and housework, though of course there are other reasons people might stay in hotels or motels... insurance reasons, such as this, travel, even such torrid reasons as love aff..."

Jane had been staring open mouthed at Maura during this whole fast paced speech, but as soon as she held a hand up, Maura instantly stopped mid word, pressed her lips together and stared at Jane desperately.

Jane searched for the right words.

"You really are a genius."

_Right. Better words. Let's try to make it not so obvious next time._

"Is there anything you don't know random things about?"

_Hmm. Probably a stupid question. Might as well keep going, you can't make it worse._

"God, I mean, you never shut up about these things."

Maura looked confused and slightly upset.

_Okay, rewind, rewind!_

"I mean, it's a good thing. I don't really care about the things you say, but I always listen..."

Maura's lip trembled threateningly.

_Oh God. Abort! Abort! Abort!_

"No, I mean... I do care!"

Maura's lip stopped trembling.

_Okay... getting better._

"I love it when you tell me things."

Maura frowned in confusion but... was that a smile playing about her lips?

_We can do this, come on!_

"You're amazing, Maura."

A definite smile.

_Yup. I'm good._

"And... I could still stay with you. In the hotel room."

Maura lost the smile.

_Uh oh._

"Uh... you know, if you wanted me to."

Jane stared at Maura with trepidation.

Maura bit her lip.

She took a deep breath.

She looked down at her feet.

Up at Jane.

Down at her feet again.

Up once more, with a small tentative smile.

"I... I would like that."

_Oh, I'm good._

"I'd like it too."

A full blown, megawatt smile this time, and Jane grinned back in response.

_Just call me Jane Rizzoli, your God._

_Wait... does this mean I'll be sleeping in the same bed as her?_

_Oh shit._

_Oh SHIT._

_Right, well this won't be awkward._

_..._

_I'm so screwed._

END CHAPTER SIXTEEN

_As always, please review! Free virtual... uh... sunglasses to all reviewers! Which reminds me, I need to buy new sunglasses... sigh. Sunglasses would have to go on my top ten list of most hated necessary things to buy ever. I have a big head, inherited from my father, so most sunnies give me a headache. Plus, it takes me forever to find a hat that fits. Thanks so much Dad. :-P_

_Uh, okay, so that was a random rant and a half. Or... you know, half a rant. What can I say, I'm a random person._

_To summarise: please review, whinge whinge moan. :-D_

_Love to all! xoxo_


	18. Chapter 17

_LOL to the guest reviewer that mentioned the 'belayed' word. No, sadly, I am not intelligent enough to have put it in as an intentional pun. I have replaced the word now. :-P But thank you for pointing it out! And since there seemed to be more comments based on my complaints about sunglasses than about the chapter itself, I'm thinking perhaps the last chapter was not anyone's favourite... nevertheless, it was something I needed to get out and... well, anyway. I hope you enjoy this chapter more._

_To the guest reviewer who complained about this being tedious... there are many stories on this site that have the quick burn to Rizzles... I prefer the slow burn option myself, and, as said, I want to make it somewhat realistic (while still being funny, if I can do so without taking away from the story!). So I apologize for it being 'tedious', but hopefully it will pay out in the end._

_AND OMG, TWO CHAPTER UPDATES IN LIKE... FOURTEEN HOURS OR SOMETHING. Weekends are good for updating :-P You can now all proceed to tell me how awesome I am for updating so quickly. No... no... STOP LAUGHING. STOP LAUGHING AT ME. I AM awesome, so there._

_Oh God, and I haven't even had any painkillers so far today. This is me normally. Ahem, onto the chapter. :-P_

*****CHAPTER SEVENTEEN – WEEK TWELVE CONT*****

"So... wait. You're _not_ in a relationship with Maura?"

Jane sighed. "No. For the 59th time, no."

"Don't exaggerate." Angela picked up a knife and began buttering some toast, finally placing it in front of Jane and wiping her hands on a tea towel. "Are you sure?"

Jane groaned. "_Yes_, Ma, and what is it with people asking me if I'm sure? I'm pretty sure I'd know if I was in a relationship with Maura!"

Angela started folding up the tea towel, studiously avoiding eye contact. "Do you _want_ to be?"

"I...!" Jane started, then stopped abruptly. Angela nodded.

"Thought so."

Jane picked up the neatly folded tea towel and threw it at her mother's head. "Not helping!"

Angela simply laughed, catching the material before it had a chance to hit her and folding it again. "Who else asked if you were sure?"

"Frankie," Jane mumbled, staring at the table and slowly pushing her plate away from her.

"Hmm, yes... well, he and I have wondered for a while about the relationship between you and Maura..."

"Oh my God Ma!" Jane exclaimed. "You've been _gossiping_ about me? With my _brother?_"

Angela frowned defensively. "Not gossiping, just... speculating."

Jane rolled her eyes, slumping forward and letting her chin fall onto the pillow created by her crossed arms.

"So, tell me again what happened."

"Nothing."

"Jane." There was a note of warning in Angela's voice that made Jane roll her eyes again, but it was the obvious concern that made her speak.

"Maura had a pipe burst above my... above the guest bedroom. So she has to move out for a while. The insurance company is paying for a hotel room."

"Why not just stay with you?"

"Ma, she's being put up in a five star hotel. Okay? My crappy little apartment cannot compare to a five star hotel."

"Seems to me that she'd be happy wherever you are," Angela said mildly, striking the nail on the head. Jane shook her head.

"Well, anyway. They've organised it and she's agreed to it, so... that's it."

"So, you're moving back to your 'crappy little apartment' then?"

Jane reached out for the tea towel once more to throw it at her mother, but Angela snatched it away before she could. "Ma! You don't have to agree with me that it's crappy!"

"I never said I agreed. I was merely repeating what you said."

Jane stared at her mother through narrowed eyes. "You've been hanging around Maura _way_ too much. You're beginning to sound like her."

Angela didn't rise to the bait; she simply stared, seeming to be waiting for an answer to her question.

Jane sighed. "No, I will not be moving back to my apartment."

"Mm-hmm."

"I'm going to be staying with Maura in the hotel."

Angela nodded. "Uh huh."

"Ma?"

"Mmm?"

Jane was hesitant, never before having to ask this question. "What are you thinking?"

Angela smiled innocently. "Nothing."

"Ma."

"Really, it's nothing."

"Ma!"

"It's just... are you _sure_ you're not in a relationship?"

"Ma! No!"

"Okay," Angela quickly acquiesced, holding her hands up. "Okay, forget I asked. But... you don't need assistance anymore, your bones have completely healed, you're back at work..."

"What's your point?" Jane asked, frustrated.

"... you're going to be sharing a bed with her..." Angela continued, as though there had been no interruption.

"There's probably a couch I can sleep on..."

"...you've been living together for almost three months now..."

"Ma, get to the point or I'm going home."

Angela sighed, leaning across the table. Jane drew her head back, looking at her mother suspiciously. "You love her, Jane. Don't let her slip away because you're too scared to pursue anything more."

"I'm not scared!"

"Trust me," Angela said, continuing as though nothing had been said, "I let someone I love slip through my fingers, and for a long time... it was the biggest regret of my life."

Jane froze, even allowing her mother to take her hands in her own. She gazed down at the worn hands, the thumbs creating soothing circles over her knuckles. "You did?"

"I don't regret it now... or at least, not much. Because," Jane glanced up to see tears in her mother's eyes, "I might not have you, or Frankie or Tommy if... if it hadn't happened this way. But," she shook her head, "I lived a long time in regret, even after I married your father." Angela reached out and smoothed Jane's curls down around her face. "I don't ever want you to go through the same thing."

"You never told me about it," Jane said quietly, for once simply enjoying the maternal comfort rather than pulling away.

Angela smiled. "A woman's heart is an ocean of secrets, Jane. Don't let your secrets turn sour."

Jane sighed. "I'm scared, Ma."

Angela huffed out a laugh. "The things most worth doing in life are the things that scare us the most."

"Wow, you're a regular Florence Nightingale today, aren't you?"

For a moment, Jane worried that the sarcasm was in bad form: her mother's lips trembled worryingly. But then, slowly, a grin broke out across her face and she laughed. "Oh Jane. Janie, my beautiful girl. Don't ever change." She came around the side of the table and wrapped her arms around her daughter. Jane, in turn, wrapped her arms around Angela and pillowed her head on her mother's bosom. After a few minutes, Angela pulled away, and looked down at her seriously. "You _are_ allowed to be happy, though. Don't forget it."

"I won't, Ma. I won't."

There was a few minutes silence while both women gathered their thoughts and tried to swallow away unreasonable lumps that had appeared in their respective throats for no good reason.

Finally, "Alright, now... eat! I don't want my girl wasting away to nothing when there's perfectly good food on the table!"

Jane rolled her eyes, pulling her plate back towards her and picking up the (now cold) toast, taking a big bite. "Happy now?"

She expected a reprimand on talking with her mouth full, but Angela just smiled, hand already on the doorknob, ready to leave. "I'm always happy with you, my girl."

The sound of the door gently clicking shut pulled Jane out of her stupor and, with a soft smile that she'd deny to her dying day, she tucked into the lovingly prepared breakfast.

Things were changing, and she didn't know where it was taking her. She was petrified.

But she was also excited.

_I love Maura. I love her._

Jane grinned.

_R&IR&IR&I_

"Holy heart failure, Batman!"

Maura looked amused, and also a little bit bewildered. "What?"

"Batman? Guy... wears black... well, in some costumes there's also blue and gray and yellow, but there's always black... kinda looks like a bat? Superhero? Ringing any bells?"

Maura looked bemused.

"Never mind. This place is amazing, is what I meant."

Maura walked in the room, setting one of her bags down as she looked around. "It is quite beautiful," she agreed, then, "'Holy heart failure'?"

"What? It's a legitimate Batman quote. Well, technically Robin said it, but you get the drift."

Jane set her own bags down, plus the one of Maura's she insisted on carrying (seriously, what was in it? _Rocks?_) and gleefully started exploring the luxurious apartment. "Damn, you've got good insurance."

"But of course, Jane, insurance is the one thing you don't want to skimp out on."

"'Skimp', hey? I'm impressed."

"I can use slang too!" Maura stopped, studying Jane's expression, then asked hesitantly, "_You_ have insurance... don't you?"

"Uh... yeah." Jane opened a cupboard, avoiding looking at Maura.

"Jane!"

_Damn._

"What?"

"Insurance is so important! Look at what happened to me!"

"Yeah, well... paying for food is important too. Detectives don't get paid that much."

"So what, you can't afford to pay $20-$40 a week, but you CAN afford a disaster if it comes along? Perhaps summing up to over $1000?"

"Wait, $20 a week? That's it?"

Maura rolled her eyes. "You've never even researched it, have you." It wasn't a question.

"Uh..." Jane flung open the nearest door, hoping for a distraction, and... "oh holy shit!"

"What?"

_Aha, distraction manoeuvre successful_.

Maura came over to Jane and peeked over her shoulder. Jane's breath caught at the way Maura's hand reached out to grab her waist for balance as she put herself on tiptoes to be able to see over Jane's shoulder. She glanced into the bathroom and gasped, while Jane tried desperately to rid her head of the dirty thoughts that appeared along with that quick inhalation.

"Oh wow."

There was a beautiful big tub in the corner of the room, easily big enough to seat 2 adults with room to spare, and a shower in the corner with about a bajillion knobs and buttons.

"Oh wow!" Maura repeated, holding Jane's waist with both hands now and gently moving her to the side so that she could enter the bathroom. She walked over to the shower and stepped inside fully clothed while Jane stared.

"You know, I've always wanted to try one of these! I read about them in House magazine one time. They are called Tueco Evolution E2 showers, and they have all sorts of special features, including..."

Jane let Maura's voice trail into obscurity as she entered the bathroom too, looking at the shower in fascination.

Honestly, why would anyone need so many different settings and shit? It's a shower. You need water and soap. That's it.

"...I can't believe they have one of these in a hotel room!" Maura ended, and Jane snapped to attention.

"Why, how much do they cost?"

Maura mumbled.

"Maura."

"Upwards of $15,000?"

Jane gaped. "Oh my God." She paused, looking around the lavish apartment. "Wait, how much does this room cost a night?"

"The insurance is paying for it."

Jane rolled her eyes. "You're avoiding."

Maura looked up at her, all wide eyed and earnest. "$800."

Jane shook her head. "Well, they get the money back for the shower in three weeks." She snorted. "God, you must have the best insurance _in the world_."

Maura bit her lip. "I... I always got told to... to have the best insurance..."

Jane just laughed. "Probably good advice, judging by this place."

Maura relaxed, turning back to examine the shower, while Jane looked around the outside of it. There was a little button near the door.

_Wonder what this does. Probably lighting or something._

Jane pushed it.

"Oh... wha... _JANE!_"

_Uh oh, not lighting._

Jane hurriedly pushed the button again and the water switched off. Maura turned around.

_Oh. Oh. Okay. Um..._

Jane stared.

Maura had been wearing a white shirt and green pants that day. The pants were relatively untouched by the water, save for the droplets running down her body... the water hadn't been running that long. But the shirt...

_Have her boobs always been that... wow?_

Maura flushed as Jane looked up and down her body, seeming unable to tear her eyes away. "Jane?"

"Mmm?" Jane asked, currently captivated by the way water droplets ran down Maura's chest and then dropped from there to the ground, like tiny parachuters.

You know, without parachutes.

"Can you get me a towel? Please?"

"What? Oh, right." Moving quickly, she darted out to the cupboard she had previously opened, pulled out a towel and raced back in the bathroom, throwing it at Maura's face. She caught it, barely, with a muffled 'thank you', while Jane wrung her hands nervously. "I didn't mean to turn the water on."

"I know you didn't."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry, Jane. It's just water."

Jane was _pretty_ sure she had heard Maura lamenting the fact that one of her other shirts got water spots on it the other day, but _whatever._

"I really didn't mean it."

"I know, Jane." Maura lifted the towel to her head, bending over to start rubbing as much moisture out of her hair as possible.

"I love you."

Maura slowly straightened up, the towel still covering her face. With trembling hands, Jane lifted the corner. Maura immediately stared at her, eyes darting to all the points on Jane's face, trying to see if she was being honest.

"What?"

"I... I love you," Jane repeated, still holding the towel aloft while Maura gazed at her desperately.

"Ohh..." she breathed.

END CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

_Hehe. Cliffhanger anyone? Review and I might update quickly... if I get enough reviews... *shamelessly bribing everyone* *doesn't even care*_

_Love to all! xoxo_


	19. Chapter 18

_OMG YOU GUYS ARE AWESOME. Okay, so here's the next chapter... and I'm not actually sure if you guys are gonna like me for this one or not. *cough* You'll see. But the end is good... kind of... if another cliffy... um. I love you all? Please don't hurt me? haha. Next chapter will be Maura's POV, then we'll finally see the girls together again and stuff will happen. Or maybe it won't. Or maybe stuff is them breathing and eating and shit, cause I'm evil._

_Man, I'm getting good at this slow burn thing. Or maybe I'm just a sadist. Meh, tom-ay-toe, tom-ah-toe. Little of this, little of that... same result in the end. :-P So hopefully you guys don't get frustrated, cause I promise, the Rizzles ship is coming! It will set its anchor down soon! It will... oh fuck it, I can't think of ship analogies at the moment. It's coming. The end. Not the end... I don't know when that's coming. But the Rizzles is coming the end. You get it? Sigh. I don't even know if analogies is the right word. I don't know. I's sleepy. I'm typing this at... 8:10pm. On a Saturday night. And I'm sleepy. AFTER having an hour long nap this arvo. BEING SICK SUCKS. I'm not posting this till tomorrow though. Cause I'm nasty. hehe. I'm gonna stop rambling now._

_Onto the chapter!_

*****CHAPTER EIGHTEEN – WEEK TWELVE CONT*****

"So, wait... go through it with me again."

"I told her I loved her," Jane said dully, her voice muffled from where her head had landed on the desk. She didn't ever think she was going to be moving again. "And she didn't say anything, and we stared at each other and then," she heaved a big sigh, "I ran."

"No, no, no," Frost said, opening the fridge and pulling out two beers, flicking the cap off one and sending it across the table to Jane (who caught it without even looking up, thank you very much) before opening the other one, "I meant what it was like seeing her in a white, wet T-shirt."

Jane's mouth dropped open as she finally lifted her head to glare at her partner. "For one thing, it was _not_ a T-shirt... since when has Maura Isles _ever_ worn a T-shirt? And for another... I _knew_ I should've talked to Frankie."

"Why didn't you?" Frost took a big gulp of his beer and belched very lightly. She frowned.

"I don't know. He's my brother. It's weird."

Frost simply laughed, taking another pull from the bottle.

"And _you_ are not supposed to be a perve! My brother on the other hand... both of them in fact...!"

"Got a reaction though, didn't it?" Frost asked, and she looked up to see a stupid smug look of superiority on her face.

"Shut up."

"No. You came to me for advice, and I'm going to give it." He leaned across the table, and Jane was forcibly reminded of her mother doing the same thing only hours before. She regarded him suspiciously. "This could be the best thing that ever happened to you. _Don't fuck it up._"

"I'm not going to fuck it up," replied Jane, offended.

"Right, cause _running_ is such a non-fucked-up way to handle things."

"Shut up." Jane pouted, letting her neck muscles relax and her forehead hit the table again. Her arms dangled uselessly by her side. Frost sighed. She heard him reach for her beer. "Don't drink my beer."

Silence.

Jane lifted her head. Frost unrepentantly drew back what had originally been _her_ beer from his mouth. "I'm sorry, did you say something?"

"That was _mine._"

"And now it's mine. Actually, originally it was mine to begin with, I just gave it to you. And now I'm taking it back. See?" He took another long drag of the beer and she glowered as she watched his adam's apple bob up and down with each swallow.

"I don't like you."

"Yes you do. That's why you're here; you think I'm fabulous!"

"_Fab_ulous? Something you wanna tell me, _Barold_?"

He just laughed, not rising to the bait. "Look... didn't you tell me that she said that she would consider dating you?"

"No... I said something like 'it's not like you'd ever date me anyway' and she said 'I wouldn't say that'."

Frost stared at her with raised eyebrows.

"_What?_"

"I don't know, that seems like she's pretty interested to me."

"Or maybe she just didn't want to hurt my feelings."

"Or maybe she luuuurves you."

Jane rolled her eyes. "'Luurves' me? What are you, 12?"

"Jane and Maura, sitting in a tree..."

"Oh my _God_. You need to shut up. Like, now."

"K-I-S-S-I-N-G..."

"Right. I'm going."

Frost leapt to his feet, catching Jane's elbow. "Come on, don't be like that."

"You are teasing me."

"I'm not teasing you!"

Jane raised an eyebrow.

"Okay, fine, maybe I'm teasing you a little. But, I mean, the answer to this is pretty obvious."

Jane rolled her eyes. "All right, I'll bite. Fine, what is this _obvious_ answer?"

"Kiss her."

Jane stared at him in shock. "What?"

"Kiss her! Then you'll know for sure."

"But... no! What if she doesn't want to? What if it fucks everything up?"

"It _won't_."

Jane shook her head, grabbing her coat and pulling it on. "You don't know that."

"I do." Frost followed Jane to the door. "Wanna know how I know?"

Jane slowly turned around. "How?"

"Because... Jane and Maura, sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G..." Jane rolled her eyes, heading out the door and down the stairs, but she could still hear, "First comes love, then comes marriage, THEN COMES MAURA WITH A BABY CARRIAGE!"

"SHUT UP, FROST."

_R&IR&IR&I_

"I wanna talk to Bass."

"You want to talk to... Bass?" The woman behind the counter looked horribly confused, but Jane was in no mood to be nice today.

"Yes. Bass. Go get him. Or bring me to him actually, that would be quicker. He moves kind of slow. Slowly. He moves rather slowly." Jane coughed.

Stupid Maura and her Mr. Adverb.

The woman looked about nervously, and Jane peered down at her name tag.

"Sheryl. Hi, Sheryl. I'd really like to talk to Bass. Go. Get. Him."

"I... I'm sorry, I don't think we have a 'Bass' on staff..."

Jane rolled her eyes. "He's not a _staff member_. He's a _tortoise._"

Now the woman looked _really_ worried. "Uh... we are a care company that provide care for family pets when their owners have to go away..."

"Yes, he is a family pet, and his owner had to leave the house for a few days because of a burst pipe. Now go. Get. Him."

"Uh... predominantly those animals that we house are dogs or cats, though we have looked after parrots and fish from time to time... I don't believe we have ever looked after a tortoise."

Jane closed her eyes, breathing out a long, slow breath through her nose. When she opened her eyes, 'Sheryl' was looking as though she desperately wished she had a panic button to push.

"He. Is. Here. I. Want. To. Talk. To. Him."

"You want to talk to a tortoise named Bass?"

_Aha, finally we're getting somewhere._

"Yes. Do you know where he is?"

"You want to _talk._ To a _tortoise._"

"People talk to their dogs! Which reminds me, you might as well grab Jo Friday and bring her in as well when I talk to Bass."

"But they're _dogs_... Jo Friday?"

"_Yes._"

"Right. Of course. And she is... a giraffe? Perhaps a puma?"

"A _dog._"

"Right, of course."

Jane rolled her eyes.

_Can this woman really be so stupid?_

"Look, you have a computer there. Type in their names. I want to talk to them."

"Ma'am..."

"Oh, don't 'ma'am' me..." Jane flicked back her coat slightly, showing off not only her badge but her gun, and the woman took an almost comical leap backwards. "_Where are they?_"

"Uh... you said Bass and Jo Thursday, right?"

"Bass Isles, yes, and Jo _Friday_ Rizzoli."

Sheryl clicked on a few things on the computer, then finally, "Uh, right, sorry for the mix up, officer." ('Detective,' Jane corrected grumpily, but Sheryl didn't appear to hear) "I'll, uh, take you straight down. Will you be picking them up already, or...?"

"Just visiting."

"Right. We have them down to stay here till next Monday, is that correct?"

"Sure, why not."

Sheryl bit her lip, finally leading Jane into an empty room. Several minutes passed, and Bass got bought in. He came over and affectionately rubbed his head against Jane's leg. Only thirty seconds after that, Jo got led in and she proceeded to go absolutely insane, as though it had been weeks rather than hours since they saw each other last. Jane gave them a few minutes of attention each, before she finally sat down on the one chair in the room and fixed them with an intent stare.

"Guys, I fucked up."

Instantly, Jo's tail went between her legs and Bass put his head down, both looking as depressed as it's possible for a dog and tortoise to look.

"I told her I loved her."

Jo started wagging her tail again, while Bass looked up and winked slowly.

"And then I ran."

Bass looked at her intently for a few seconds before slowly letting out a breath and turning himself around, showing her his tail. Jo watched him, tail wagging for a few more seconds, then, with a resolute little sniff, turned her back too, nose in the air.

"Hey, don't be like that! Look, it was just... completely random. I don't even know why I said it. But I did, and she didn't say anything, so I ran."

Tortoise and dog looked at each other briefly, then continued looking away from Jane. She huffed.

"God, I _swear_ you guys are too smart for your own good."

Still no movements.

"Okay, look, she was going on about the shower at the hotel. I mean, this thing looks _amazing_, guys, and I saw this little button and pushed it. Turned out it was the button that turns the water on... I mean, God, who has a _button_ activating water flow? _Really?_ Uh, anyway... so then her hair got wet, and her _shirt_ got wet, and it was all... sticking to her skin, and I was already overwhelmed because of her enthusiasm over the shower, and then the wet clothes, and I... I..." she put her head in her hands, but lifted it again when she heard shuffling noises. Both animals were facing her again.

"Don't look at me like that."

They continued to stare.

"Stop it."

Nope, still staring.

"_Bass. Jo!" _Jane whined, then wondered vaguely how often tortoises and dogs need to blink. Surely more often than these guys were currently... seeing as how they _weren't_ blinking. At _all._

"You think I should go back to the hotel and man up."

Bass moved his head up and down. Jo thumped her tail against the floor.

"I don't want to."

Wow, who knew tortoises could... _glare_... like that?

She glared back, trying to ignore the ridiculousness of glaring at a turtle.

_Tortoise!_

Right, tortoise. Whatever.

Jane's eyes started burning and finally she threw her hands up in the air. "Fine! Whatever! But if this blows up in my face, it's _your_ fault." She pointed accusingly at both animals in turn, finally stalking out of the room.

Completely ignoring the way that both animals seemed to give each other a look of pure exasperation.

Yup, not even looking at that.

_Stupid animals. Stupid pipe. Stupid me._

_Stupid WRISTS, causing this all in the first place!_

_R&IR&IR&I_

"Maura? Maura, are you here?"

Silence.

Crap.

"Hello? Maura?" Jane ventured inside, treading carefully just in case Maura had decided to set a booby trap or something.

What? She liked the Home Alone movies, so what?

But nope, there were no buckets on top of doors, no trip wires... no flamethrowers (Jane's favourite part)... and also no Maura.

Jane sighed, deciding resolutely to search the entire apartment anyway, just in case (and if her mind came up with an entirely inappropriate image of Maura lying silently in wait on the king size bed, clad in nothing more than a smile, Jane pushed it away so quickly that it _barely_ even registered).

While it was a rather large apartment for a one bedroom, there also wasn't that much to it. Jane finished her search in two minutes, coming to the conclusion that Maura was not there. She sighed.

_Maura in the shower._

_Shut up brain._

Huh. Shower though. There was an idea. Jane had always loved the shower, it was a way for her to work through her issues in a secluded environment while the hot water pounded away the tension in her shoulders and back. Yup, a shower seemed like a pretty damn good idea at the moment. She briefly considered the bath idea but, aside from a fleeting thought (_would be okay if I had someone... Maura... to share it with)_ she quickly disputed the idea. She wanted to try the shower.

After a quick stop to the bedroom to rifle through luggage (which, of course, Maura had already brought to the bedroom _and_ unpacked... Jane tried not to think too hard about _that_), she headed to the bathroom, clothes in hand, snagging a fresh towel along the way, shedding the clothes she was wearing as she went.

She pushed the button that activated the water, and, when it seemed like it had reached a reasonable temperature, stepped inside and pulled the door shut.

_Ahh, now this is the life._

_Except... what the fuck?!_

The water went icy cold for a few seconds, then back to hot.

"What the fuck?" Jane glared at the various buttons inside the shower.

_Man, probably should have read the instructions._

_Nah._

She pushed a button and... _whoa_. A torrent of water was flowing at her from every which way and... _holy shit_... it actually felt quite nice. And it was _hot_. Like, _consistently_ hot. Maura would probably say the cold/hot option was actually some fancy thing designed to unclog pores or some shit, but Jane could get that at her apartment if she just got someone to stand out in the kitchen and turn the hot water tap on every few seconds.

_So_ not fun.

She pushed another button, somewhat fearfully this time as she didn't want the current sensation to stop, but...

_Ah, _there_ are the lights I was looking for earlier._

A soft blue light lit her up from above, gradually changing colours. Jane closed her eyes.

Best. Shower. Experience. Ever.

Finally after what seemed like a lifetime, Jane turned off the water. She sighed, completely relaxed, allowing water to drip off her body before she finally opened up the door into the now completely steamy bathroom. She picked up her towel, wrapped it around herself and moved over to the mirror, lifting a hand to wipe the condensation off, but then... she froze.

And stared at the mirror.

The mirror that was completely fogged up except for a few letters, written in a _very_ familiar handwriting.

**I love you too.**

_Holy shit._

_HOLY SHIT._

Jane opened the door to the bathroom.

"Maura?"

END CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

_Longest chapter yet peeps! I know, I know, I'm evil, you want to stab me... feel free to leave a review telling me how frustrated you are. Oooh, can you also tell me I'm evil? I like that. :-P HAHA oh dear God, I'm even more of a weirdo on endone than I am at normal times._

_ANYWAYS. Review please, and maaaaybe I'll update quickly again... like in 12 hours? Or so? :-D Only if you review!_

_Also, has anyone actually looked up those Tueco Evolution E2 shower things? They look scary. Awesome, but scary. I would totally push every single button in one. Oh, and it does actually have an option to do cold then hot then cold water... man, just get shitty plumbing... it'll do the job for ya with nothin' fancy necessary! haha_

_Love to all! xoxo_


	20. Chapter 19

_Don't forget you guys can give me ideas on this one! Normally I don't post stuff till it's complete but this one is quite literally a work in progress... and I always try to work in ideas given to me! Well, unless someone suggested that, you know, Jane should pick her nose and eat it, and then Maura is overcome by desire because she has a nose picking fetish and... seriously, what the fuck is wrong with my brain? LOL anyway, as I was saying... NORMAL suggestions will be taken under consideration and added if I possibly can do it! Hopefully none of you are quite as weird as me to come up with these bizarro suggestions. Sigh. Though, it could be a competition! Weirdest suggestions ever! Just come up with something totally ridiculous and leave it for me in a review to make me laugh! No? But, but, but... this chapter doesn't have a cliffhanger? I was nice this time... (I wanted to add a cliffhanger but couldn't think how to do it and plus, I thought two in a row was enough lol). I don't know what the prize would be for the competition. You can have a virtual carrot. There you go, that's the prize. I'm so generous._

_And I just realized, I have NEVER done so much research for fanfics as I have since entering this fandom. MAURA ISLES, I BLAME YOU FOR MY INTERNET USAGE. I like trying to be as factual as possible and seriously, it's just ridiculous. But yay for learning new things all the time :-P_

_**Notes about this**** chapter:** Okay, bear with me on this one. This is Maura's POV and it starts shortly before chapter 17 finishes. I've not repeated much of the dialogue but I wanted to tell it from Maura's side, so forgive me if it seems a little repetitious at first._

_Onto the chapter! :-D_

*****CHAPTER NINETEEN – WEEK TWELVE CONTINUED*****

_***hotel bathroom... begins shortly before chapter 17 ends***_

The shower was truly exquisite. Maura had seen them in magazines of course... even seriously considered purchasing one for her own home, but ultimately decided it was a frivolous expense. She _did, _however, have the chromatherapy lights installed at her own home, and found that they were incredible.

Being very careful not to push anything that might trigger the water, Maura examined the shower intently, even stepping inside to have a better look. She was so careful, in fact, that when the water did suddenly start without warning, she just about leapt out of her skin.

Leaping out of one's skin is a physical impossibility, but she had been picking up Jane's sayings more and more often lately. She found that she didn't mind, even though the majority of her sayings were either ridiculous or, like this one, a physical impossibility. One can have skin peel off them when suffering from a skin condition, but generally it is only the top layers and it is usually located in one or more specific spots on the body... not the whole body. Of course, there are conditions that can take off deeper layers of tissue, but with those conditions, one usually has to consider amputation to rid the body of the infection...

Maura shook her head. She didn't know why she was thinking about skin at a time like this. Perhaps because Jane's looked so warm and tan and glow-y in the lights somehow.

Maura _knew_ glow-y wasn't a word, but she couldn't particularly bring herself to care. Not when Jane was looking at her breasts in that way.

After Jane brought her a towel, Maura quickly patted down her body and then leant over, rubbing the towel through her hair (which, along with her shirt, had copped the worst of the water) while Jane stood outside the cubicle, wringing her hands and apologizing profusely.

Maura didn't mind. To be perfectly honest, she hadn't even _seen_ the button outside the shower. If she had, she wouldn't have stepped inside... she knew that Jane was as curious as a child, wanting to know what everything did and why. If she had seen the button, she would have suspected what it _may_ cause and not bothered to step inside. But she hadn't, and now she was wet, which, all things considered, wasn't that bad. She wasn't wearing any of her favourite clothes or shoes, and even if she had, it was only items. Items can be replaced.

Jane had been babbling and apologizing nervously, when suddenly... "I love you."

Maura froze before slowly straightening up. _I love you..._ Jane didn't _really_ say that... did she?

The towel still covered Maura's head and she made no move to lift it, but soon a trembling hand came into view, slowly lifting the corner of the towel. Maura peered at Jane through the one eye that was now exposed, desperately searching her face.

"What?"

"I... I love you."

Maura felt like she couldn't breathe. "Ohh..."

Jane stared at her. Maura opened her mouth. She shut it again.

"Mau..." Jane started, but Maura shook her head. Jane let the towel drop and Maura just stood there feeling rather foolish, like a young child playing hide and seek... a child so young that she still believes 'if I can't see you, you can't see me'. There were quiet footsteps, a door shutting and then... nothing.

Nothing except for the quiet dripping on the shower floor.

_Oh. My. God._

_Jane loves me._

_Oh my GOD!_

_R&IR&IR&I_

"Jane?" Maura had finally ventured out from the shower after drying herself as much as possible and stripping her wet clothes off. Her shoes were sadly ruined, but the clothes would be fine after a trip to the drycleaners.

_Stop thinking about clothes, Maura._

"Jane? Are you here?"

Silence.

Maura frowned. Surely Jane wouldn't _leave... _like leave to go live back at her _apartment_... would she?

But no, her luggage was still in the entry way. She would have taken that if she was intending on going home.

_Unless she thought she would come back later for it..._

Maura shook her head. Well, if that were the case, Maura was going to make it damn hard for her to leave. Resolutely, she picked up the case (plus one of her own) and headed towards the bedroom.

She was going to unpack everything. That way, if Jane _had_ decided to abandon Maura, she'd have to stay long enough to _re_pack everything, and Maura would have the chance to talk to her.

_Good plan._

Maura grinned at her own brilliance as she unzipped Jane's suitcase, but the smile quickly fell off her face as a sudden scent wafted up towards her nose with the opening of the case.

_Jane..._

It was hard to describe Jane's scent. Hoyt had always said it was lavender (and _that's_ someone Maura doesn't want to think about now... or _ever_), but Maura didn't think so. Perhaps she had changed her body lotion or shampoos since then of course, but again, she didn't think so. No, the scent that was uniquely Jane's was much more complex than simply 'lavender'. Lavender always struck Maura as having a faintly 'purple' scent, whereas Jane always seemed more yellow or green.

Maura had synaesthesia... an ability to 'smell' colours. Though it wasn't really like that for her, not really... it was more that scents called to mind a certain colour. It was almost the same, but also completely different.

And Jane's scent... it was decidedly more green or yellow than purple.

Maura had often mused that her synaesthesia made her job somehow easier. If she thought of the smell of decomposing flesh as an avalanche of muted greens, mustard yellows and pale browns, for instance, it made it easier than thinking about what it _actually_ was.

But she didn't expect anyone to understand that.

She sighed, lifting one of Jane's carelessly folded shirts on top and bringing it to her nose. Green, a pale green... more yellow in it than blue, _that_ was Jane's colour. Fresh. Vibrant. Bold. Daring, in its own way. Yes, she could smell lavender (purple) but it was faded. She could also smell vanilla, a soft cream that soothed the edges of the green. A soft tinge of rosemary and other herbs (a dark green that startled in the corner of Maura's inner colour portrait of Jane), and something that was just... her. And that was the yellow. The bright, childishness of her, the protectiveness, the loyalty... all of that smelt like yellow to Maura.

And the whole portrait together? Smelt like Heaven.

Realizing that she had been standing holding Jane's shirt to her nose for a good five minutes, Maura shook herself and grabbed some hangers out of the closet, slowly starting to hang everything up, pulling the drawers open to store her pants and underthings (Maura deliberately handled those as little as possible... there was a pull there that she was in complete awareness of, but she had no desire to be _that_ person).

After finishing with Jane's clothes, she put her own away, taking decidedly less care with her own property despite the fact that it was undoubtedly better quality and more expensive.

But her clothes didn't smell like Jane.

Finally, she had finished. She glanced at her watch, only slightly startled to discover that an hour had passed. It should have taken her less than half that to put away everything in their bags, but she supposed she had mused on the colour of Jane's scent longer than she thought.

She looked around the apartment worriedly. She had brought her books, but did not feel like reading. Her computer, but she did not feel like working nor did she feel like 'surfing' the net. Her paperwork, but she could not concentrate on such things at the moment.

She walked into the bathroom and stood staring at the shower.

_I love you_.

She groaned. _I love you too_, why didn't she say it? _Why?_ Was it so hard to do? She walked over to the mirror, intent on gazing into her own eyes and facing her own failings, but the sight of the soap on the bench gave her an idea.

Wetting her finger slightly, she touched it to the soap, then to the mirror, quickly scrawling out the words that had been plaguing her all morning, occasionally retouching her finger to the soap to touch up on her chosen 'ink'. With a final glance back to see that everything looked normal (well, normal until the mirror fogged up later that is), she exited the bathroom, and, with a sigh, she grabbed her keys, the keycard to the room and her purse and headed out the door.

She'd go visit Bass and Jo. She was sure they probably missed her already.

She was so busy thinking about the pets that she barely registered when the other elevator 'pinged' just as the doors to hers closed.

_R&IR&IR&I_

"Dr. Isles! Hello! I wasn't expecting to see you back so soon. You said you weren't picking up Bass and Jo until..."

"Monday, yes Joanna, that's correct. But I'm not out of town, I've just had to move out of my home temporarily while my insurance company fixes the damage caused from a burst water pipe, so I thought I better ensure that I schedule regular visits so that Bass and Jo Friday do not get too fretful in our absence."

A young woman passing by stopped in her tracks. "Bass and Jo Friday?"

Maura looked at her questioningly. "Yes?"

The woman shook her head. "My apologies, I didn't mean to butt in on your conversation. My name is Sheryl."

"Maura. Maura Isles."

"_Doctor_ Isles is just here to visit her pets," Joanna said to the young woman, and Maura caught the added emphasis on the word 'doctor'. She hid a smile.

"Really, Maura is fine."

"Nonsense," Joanna said dismissively. "Doctor is your title, and doctor is what we shall call you. It is a sign of respect. Correct, Sheryl?"

"Of course," Sheryl agreed readily.

As a side note to Maura, Joanna explained, "Sheryl here is still in high school... she works here part time and is still in training."

"Oh, I hope you're enjoying it," Maura said politely, and Sheryl nodded.

"I do, thank you. Um, I didn't mean to interrupt, Dr Isles, but I think you'll find that Bass and Jo already have a visitor at the moment."

Maura frowned. "Really? Who?"

Sheryl looked somewhat nervous for the first time since entering the conversation. "Uh... tall. Brunette. Long, curly hair. Pretty... well, in a scary kind of way anyway. Um. Forceful."

"_Jane?_"

Sheryl shrugged hesitantly. "She didn't say. She's a police officer though."

"She's a detective," Maura corrected absently. "She's here now?"

"She was a half hour ago? I'll take you down to the room I put her in to visit with Bass and Jo Friday if you like."

Maura nodded. "Yes. Thank you." Waving absently at Joanna, she followed Sheryl down the hall, holding her breath when she finally stopped outside a door.

"In here."

"Okay. Thank you."

Sheryl stood there for a second while Maura put her hand on the handle, but after a polite smile from Maura, she took the hint and headed back to the office. Maura drew a deep breath... and opened the door.

Bass and Jo Friday immediately moved up to greet her.

No one else did.

There was no one else in the room.

Maura sighed heavily, crouching down to stroke Jo's back and Bass' shell. "Hi," she whispered quietly. Jo wagged her tail. Bass looked up at her.

Slowly, she moved to the only seat in the room. It was cold. Either Jane hadn't sat down, or she had left at least ten minutes ago. Maura sighed. She really didn't have enough proof to make a definitive conclusion either way, but she did know enough to know for sure that Jane had been here... and that meant she had probably talked to the pets. Maura didn't know for _sure_ that Jane treated the pets like she did... like mini therapists and/or psychiatrists (ones without the authority to dispense pharmaceutical medicines)... but she was fairly certain she did.

"So, Jane was here."

The pets stared at her. Besides a small pricking of Jo's ears at Jane's name, there was no reaction.

"She told you what happened."

Bass winked slowly. Jo wagged her tail.

"I didn't say anything back."

Bass' head drooped slightly. Jo stopped wagging her tail.

"I'm... I'm scared, guys. I'm excited and I'm scared and... I don't know what to do."

The two pets looked at her expectantly.

"Wait... did you two send her back to the hotel?"

Bass moved his head up and down and Jo's butt almost vibrated with the intensity of her wagging tail.

"You two like being together," Maura slowly realized.

Jo clambered onto Bass' back – Bass lowering himself to the ground to make for easier access.

"You don't want her to leave either!" Maura pointed a finger at both of them.

They stared back at her.

"You think I should take this chance..."

Jo panted excitedly. Bass snorted.

"What if..." Maura began but couldn't continue when Bass suddenly lunged forward (Jo leaping agilely off her back in the meantime) and took a nip at her ankle.

"Ow! Bass!"

He lunged again.

"Fine! I'm going! I'll come back to visit soon!"

He rubbed up against her lovingly, and Jo licked the small red marks on her ankle.

Maura stood up, and, with a backwards glance, left the room slowly, only just spying the back exit that Jane had most likely left through, seeing as how no one had seen her leave. Maura, of course, left the way she had entered. She had no particular desire to avoid anyone out the front, so there was no reason for her to sneak out.

"How was your visit?" Joanna asked politely as Maura made her way past the desk, ignoring the small dog (a Chihuahua that had apparently just been dropped off) that was wildly yapping at her.

Maura hesitated before replying. "Uh... enlightening. They, uh..." she laughed softly, "they certainly know what they want." With no further preamble, she headed to the door and waved goodbye, leaving Joanna to wonder what, exactly, she had asked.

And what, exactly, Dr Isles had meant.

END CHAPTER NINETEEN

_Okay, so if anyone wasn't paying attention or wasn't exactly sure... yes, when the other elevator dinged just as Maura's one was closing, that was Jane coming back to the hotel. *sings* SO CLOSE, NO MATTER HOW FAR... hehe_

_Next chapter will see our lovely ladies together again, though I'm not sure when I'm gonna have a chance to finish it... hopefully shouldn't be more than a couple of days though. Please don't hurt me. :-) LONG WEEKEND NEXT WEEKEND THOUGH! So I might even be able to finish this story then. Not that I have ANY idea how many chapters are left. So maybe not, too. I kind of don't want it to end lol :-)_

_Oh, and I had to throw in that synaesthesia because it completely fascinates me... I have it a little itty bit and some people just don't get it, so I thought it was something else that could be added to Maura's character to add layers and build on her social anxiety issues. If, as a young girl, she tried explaining this sensation, she'd get treated like even more of a weirdo, you understand? But enough babbling on that. :-)_

_GIVE ME SUGGESTIONS. Serious ones, stupid ones, weird ones... I take 'em all! __Oh and please review to say what you think of the story/chapter also!_

_Love to all! xoxo_


	21. Chapter 20

_A huge thank you to all my reviewers and a quick note to the guest reviewer 'Paladin'... thank you for all your comments! I read back through the last chapter and fixed what I could find in the manner of spelling/grammar errors, but please let me know if you see any more. I was in a fair amount of pain when typing that chapter, so I guess I must have been somewhat distracted :-) And yes, you have caught me out... I do NOT use a beta reader LOL. What can I say, I'm a rebel :-P haha_

_Some AWESOME SUGGESTIONS! Someone was worried... I can't remember if it was a review or a PM or on the facebook Rizzles group... that I was going to take a really silly suggestion and just completely destroy the story with it. NO! I will take ones I think I can feasibly work in without taking away the general tone of the story, but I am not going to go silly with it. I will leave the silliness to my little crazy author notes at the top and bottom :-P_

_ALSO omg the response to the synaesthesia thing from last chapter! BEST THING EVER. And now I think I'm going to do a one shot or perhaps more based around that because my brain's been whirring all day... but I'll wait till I finish this story first :-D_

_Oh one more thing... a guest reviewer raised the question: why would Maura write down 'I love you too' rather than say it back, especially to someone as doubtful and nervous as Jane?... I hope this addresses that a little bit for you. (and I'm sorry the teasing from Frost annoyed you, I just tend to think that he and Jane have a relationship almost akin to a brother/sister type, hence the teasing). :-)_

_Enough rambling... ONTO THE CHAPTER_

*****CHAPTER TWENTY*****

Maura wasn't there. Jane knew she shouldn't be surprised... after all, _she_ was the one who left in the first place. But all of her stuff was here so surely that meant she was coming back... it's not like she had anywhere else to go.

Unless she was going to kick _Jane_ out.

But then why would she go to the effort of unpacking all of her clothes? Surely if she was going to kick her out, she would have left the stuff still in the suitcase, only unpacking her own belongings.

Jane shook her head. She didn't know. She just didn't know.

All of a sudden a horrible thought occurred to her... what if Maura _hadn't_ been the one to write that message on the mirror? They were in a hotel room after all... an insanely _expensive_ hotel, with a somewhat ridiculously pretentious (if wonderful) shower, but a hotel nonetheless. They were by no means the only people to have ever stayed in this room.

_But I recognised the handwriting..._

It was writing on a _mirror_ though... surely that meant it would look different to writing on paper. Perhaps someone else wrote that message... someone with similar handwriting to Maura's. Perhaps they were writing to their lover... not just their best friend.

Jane let out a groan, dropping her head into her hands and massaging her temples. She hadn't even gotten dressed after her shower yet... simply wrapped a towel around herself and headed out to sit on the (unbelievably comfortable and freakin' HUGE) bed. Perhaps all in all, it was a _good_ thing that Maura wasn't there... that way Jane had a chance to process all this before she came back. After all, it would be rather embarrassing to come flying out of the bathroom, thanking Maura for a message she hadn't even left.

_But what if she _did_ leave it?_

Jane let out a frustrated growl, hating her own indecisiveness just as another thought occurred to her. Best friends say I love you to each other sometimes... what if Maura had taken it that way? That Jane had just confessed her love... _as a friend_... and so then she returned the sentiment _as a friend_.

Jane didn't know if she liked that idea or hated it. On the one hand, yay for returned love. On the other, it was not quite what Jane had in mind when she originally said it.

Suddenly the door beeped, indicative of a card being swiped for entry and Jane leapt to her feet, clutching her chest worriedly as it slammed open and in came... Maura.

_Well, of course it's freakin' Maura, who else were you expecting? Bob Hope?_

"Hi."

"Hi," Maura replied softly, having stopped dead in her tracks to stare at Jane.

Or perhaps _gawk_ was a more appropriate word.

Jane stood up a little straighter, pulling her towel up a little higher. Maura's eyes darted down to her legs.

"Uh... the door?"

"Oh!" Maura quickly stepped inside, letting the door slam shut behind her. "Uh, you... figured out the shower then?"

"Yes."

"The... uh... the mirror is quite large in there... the bathroom... isn't it?"

Wow, had she been taking subtlety lessons from Angela? That was about as subtle as a steam train.

"It is."

Maura waited, but Jane didn't say anything further. She didn't know if she _could_. Eventually, Maura just bit her lip. "You went to visit the pets."

"I did." Jane wasn't quite sure why she was sticking to these monosyllabic replies, but it didn't seem like her brain was capable of transmitting more complicated words to her mouth right now.

"You made quite the impression on their new student employee."

"Sheryl?" Jane asked, and when Maura nodded, she snorted. "Yeah, well..."

"What did you talk to Bass and Jo about?" Maura interrupted, spewing the sentence out as quickly as possible, as though the words were acidic and burned upon exiting her mouth.

"Stuff."

"Me too." Maura nervously scuffed the toe of her heels into the carpet, and Jane thought it was just about the most adorable thing she'd ever seen.

Not that, you know, she'd _ever_ admit to thinking that.

_Ever_.

"I'm gonna... you know, put some clothes on," Jane finally said, and Maura wrung her hands.

"Of course. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to..." she trailed off, turning around abruptly with a faint blush covering her cheeks.

"It's okay... I just... forgot... to put clothes on after my shower." She pulled her underwear up over her hips, still clutching the towel.

"You forgot?" Maura asked the door curiously.

Jane wondered if she was just imagining the touch of laughter that coloured her voice softly.

"Yeah, well, something might have distracted me."

"You _did_ see my message!"

Jane pulled her pants up, doing the button up. "Maybe."

"I'm sorry I didn't say anything when you... when you said it."

Jane finally dropped the towel, putting her bra on. "It's okay. It was kind of out of the blue."

"Yeah, but I still feel as though I should have said something."

Jane pulled on her faded grey Boston BPD shirt. "It's fine." She shook out her hair, lamenting the wild ringlets that seemed even more out of control than usual, and cleared her throat. Maura seemed to realize this was her cue to turn back around so she did, her jaw dropping slightly. Jane looked back at her self-consciously. "What?"

"Nothing."

Jane bit her lip. She felt tempted to call Maura out on the lie; on the obvious hives that were forming on her chest, but she just didn't have the energy. She looked at the ground, listening as Maura quietly regained control over her breathing.

"What do you want to do tonight?" The question was quiet... so quiet that Jane almost missed it.

She waited for her brain to come up with a sarcastic or inappropriate comment, but all was quiet up there tonight.

She wasn't sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing.

She glanced at the clock. 6:30pm.

"Order pizza and watch a movie?"

"Okay."

Maura smiled.

_Whoa, look at the pretty._

Oh, and there was Jane's brain. Welcome back.

_R&IR&IR&I_

"Pepperoni grease! Get it off my half please!"

Jane rolled her eyes, pulling off the pepperoni and shoving it in her mouth. "You know what is truly odd about you?"

"That I'm the dumbest genius you know?"

Jane laughed out loud. "No, you dork. Well, yes, but no, not this time. That you act all grossed out by my pepperonis, but in five minutes time, you will be eating my side of the pizza."

"Will not." Maura eyed a pepperoni slice that had fallen off at some point. Jane rolled her eyes, standing up to get some glasses and when she came back... _hey, waddaya know_... the slice was gone.

"Hey, I thought there was a bit of pepperoni there?"

Maura looked up wide-eyed. "Hmm?"

"Pepperoni? There? Had fallen off?"

Maura blinked. "I... I don't..."

Jane held the gaze for a little bit longer before she laughed and twisted open the lid of the bottle of Coke. "Calm down, Maura. I know you ate it."

Maura pouted. "Did not."

"Uh huh. You know that pizza is actually not intended to be healthy, right? Like, _at all_? In fact, I'm pretty sure it's a rule that if you have pizza, it has to be dripping in artery-clogging amounts of grease and fat."

Maura wrinkled her nose, but wisely seemed to decide not to comment further. Instead, she peered down at the glass of coke. "I'd prefer wine."

"It's pizza, Maura."

"No... this looks like Coke."

Jane rolled her eyes. "I _know_, Miss Literal, I'm saying that if you eat pizza, it needs to both be dripping with grease _and_ consumed with Coke. It's a law."

Maura pursed her lips. "Did you know..."

Jane held us a finger and made clucking noises. "Nope. Gonna stop you right there. I don't want to hear about how Coke will eat through my intestines or give me cancer or make my ovaries jump into my brain or anything. I want you to _drink _it and _enjoy_ it, because you _deserve _it."

Maura flushed, but couldn't seem to stop herself from asking, "I deserve to have my ovaries jump into my brain?" Jane just smiled, watching as Maura took a tentative sip. "Oh!" she sounded genuinely surprised.

"See?"

"I believe I understand how people can get addicted."

Jane frowned. She carefully pulled the glass out of Maura's hand. "Yeah, no more Coke for you. Let's watch a movie."

It was Maura's turn to frown. "Jane... the pizza... the couch..."

"... isn't yours, so you don't have to clean the crumbs, and anyway, we'll be careful." Jane smiled winningly. "Please?"

_R&IR&IR&I_

"I can't believe I'm wearing a _bib."_

"It's not a bib. It's a napkin."

"Placed at my neck. It's a bib." Jane frowned down at the offending item.

"I'm wearing one too."

_Yes, and how is it you manage to make even _that_ look amazing?_

"Yeah, looks stupid on you too."

Maura laughed. "It saves our clothes from getting messy."

"I haven't needed a bib in over 35 years Maura, I don't intend on needing one today... _or_ making a mess!"

Maura just shook her head and turned back to watch 'The Little Mermaid' (it was that or some romantic comedy... Jane felt that the Disney movie was probably safer. Plus, when Maura said she hadn't seen it before... well, there really wasn't a choice. Jane was fairly certain it was in the Constitution that everyone should know those songs off by heart), while Jane picked up a slice of pizza.

_Mushroom_ covered pizza, because, as predicted, Maura had eaten the rest of the pepperoni slices.

And five minutes later, the cheesy, saucy layer of mushrooms slid off the base and fell on Jane's napkin bib.

"_ARGH!"_

"Oh Jane!" Maura immediately lunged over, wrenched her own napkin/bib out of her collar and started using it to clean up the mess.

Jane thought it would be easier to just take the whole damn napkin bib thing _off_ but Maura was there, and she could smell her hair and, all in all, it was just distracting.

"Fuck."

"Language," Maura scolded absently. There was silence for a few minutes while she blotted (the napkin, but again, who was complaining?), but Jane finally spoke up.

"Uh, so maybe the bib thing was a good idea."

Maura laughed. "At least you didn't spill it on the couch... the material looks to be expensive."

Jane's eyebrows shot up. "'Looks to be expensive?' Hello, Maura Isles, are you in there?"

Maura looked up and frowned, but still did make eye contact. "What?"

"Where's the history lesson on the type of fabric, the cost, the designer...?" Jane craned her neck down, attempting to look Maura in the eye. "I'm sure you know it."

Maura's frown deepened. "I do. I just..."

"Just...?"

Maura bit her lip, then sheepishly pulled the napkin away from Jane's shirt. "Maybe I should have done that right away."

"Yeah. Maybe."

Oh, and look, it's back to the monosyllable words.

Okay, so 'maybe' had two syllables but really, who's counting?

Jane found herself wondering if there a word for two syllable words... duosyllable maybe? She'd have to ask Maura later... when suddenly the woman in question looked up, and Jane forgot all about syllables. In fact, all about words in general.

"Guh."

Maura looked somewhat bewildered. "Jane?"

"Buh."

Now she looked scared. Focus, Rizzoli.

"Green. Blue. Brown."

Aaaand now she looked confused.

"Your eyes."

A little bit of understanding.

"What, uh... what colour do you call them?"

Maura shrugged. "I put down hazel for my driver's license application."

"But they're not hazel... they're green, and blue, and brown, and gold and..."

Maura looked amused. "The term 'hazel' is generally used to describe eye colours such as mine, because of the amount of melanin..."

"No one has eyes like yours."

Maura bit her lip. Her gaze darted from Jane's eyes to her lips, and Jane suddenly found herself unable to _shut the fuck up._

"My eye colour is boring."

_Shut up, Jane._

"It's brown. There are no other colours. Just brown."

_Seriously, shut up._

"It's so boring. Like, 'what colour eyes do you have?', 'Brown', '_Well_ then...'"

_Why are you still talking?_

"I mean, at least with you..."

_Oh._

Okay, well that was one way to get her to stop talking. Cheek still tingling from the sweet kiss so recently placed on it, Jane stared open mouthed as Maura stood up, walking to the bedroom, finally turning around when she got to the doorway.

"You know, it's because of your Italian heritage..."

_And there's the Maura I know and love._

"Italians tend to have a relatively high concentration of melanin in the stroma of the iris, and..."

"I love you," Jane blurted out for the second time that day.

"And..." Maura trailed off, looking uncharacteristically uncertain.

Though, in retrospect, perhaps it wasn't so uncharacteristic at all. Perhaps it was just that _Jane_ never saw her that way... awkward, unsure of herself.

"When you say that..." she asked slowly, and Jane stood up. She shrugged.

"I mean it."

Maura trembled slightly and opened her mouth, but then closed it again. "I love you too."

_There's something important you really should be doing... what was it..._

_Oh, right. Breathing. Breathing is handy._

_Don't pass out, don't pass out, don't pass out..._

_Oh, wait till Bass and Jo hear about _this!

END CHAPTER TWENTY

_Okay, I don't know about this chapter. I've been feeling like crap all day... cranky, tired, sore, the whole shebang! haha... so I'm not sure if that's perhaps come across in the writing? I don't know. I tend to be even MORE critical of myself when I'm not 100% (which is saying something, cause I'm very hard on myself at the best of times lol!) so please just let me know what you think... is it too rushed, does it not make sense, is it out of character, is it just crap... I'll rewrite the chapter if I have to._

_But if I am just frustrating you cause there's been no kiss yet... BWAHAHA MY EVIL PLAN IS WORKING. EVERYONE WILL BE FRUSTRATED BWAHAH... *cough* who said that? *smiles innocently* LOL_

_Oh, and also, congrats to afret2010 (I think that's your username, I'm too lazy to go double check) who won a virtual carrot for cracking me up with their suggestion that they get sucked into Narnia via their bathtub... AWESOME. :-D *hands over virtual carrot*_

_And virtual broccoli/carrot/Brussels sprouts/pumpkin/cauliflower/etc to everyone who reviews. What? It's important to get your vegie intake. Even if it's virtual... :-P_

_Love to all! xoxo_


	22. Chapter 21

_Paladin: thank you for telling me my errors! I haven't been proof reading as much as I usually do with this story, so I have missed some errors. The only one I didn't change was 'copped' into 'caught'... I figured I'd just let a little of Aussie-ness show through... I sometimes get sick of attempting to Americanise everything (I'm pretty sure 'copped' is Aussie slang). :-P But thank you! :-)_

_Okay, so this chapter is little bit shorter than the other ones have been lately, but... well, hopefully you like it. I like it. I think. I don't know. Don't ask me questions, it's a public holiday. I don't have to think if I don't want to, so there! :-P_

_Though I was going to do some work over the weekend but I'm pretty sure I left my camera at work. And I need it for observations (of the children). And I don't have a key to get into work. Sooo no work for me this weekend, what a pity! Can you tell I'm devastated? No? LOL I should be, because I'm still behind in my programming but MEH. I'll figure it out. And I've got a good excuse! Being sick! Yay! Wait, boo! ... I don't know. Whatever._

_Also, I haven't read through this five bazillion times like I usually do so if there are errors, let me know please :-)_

_Onto the chapter!_

*****CHAPTER TWENTY ONE*****

"What are you doing?" Maura sounded almost horrified, like she'd just caught Jane lighting up a blunt or painting graffiti on a wall. Jane jumped, turning around to see Maura standing in the doorway of the bedroom, arms crossed across her chest.

"Uh..." Jane looked down, first at the couch, then at the pile of blankets and pillows _next_ to the couch and lastly at the sheet in her hands. She thought it was fairly _obvious_ what she was doing. "Making up the couch?"

"Why?"

"So I can sleep there?"

Maura cocked her head in confusion. "Why would you sleep on the couch when you can sleep in a bed?"

"Because you're sleeping in the bed?" Jane fumbled with the sheet nervously. Surely Maura didn't expect them to sleep in the same bed... right?

Maura sighed. "It's a king size bed, Jane. You can sleep there too."

_Aaand, yes she does._

"But you're sleeping in the bed?"

Maura huffed, making an aborted movement with her leg that looked like she desperately wanted to stomp her foot in frustration.

Seriously. _Stomp her foot._

She was hanging out with Jane _waaaay_ too much.

"Will you _please_ stop making statements with your tone taking on the inflection of a question? It is very distracting!"

_Uh, what?_

"What?"

"You're turning everything into a question."

"Oh." Jane scratched her head, pushing the unruly curls away from her face for approximately the 479th  
time that night. "Sorry."

"Now, pack up those blankets and come to bed."

"But...!" Jane felt that she should at least make the token argument, but Maura simply raised an eyebrow.

"Now."

She didn't even wait around to ensure Jane did as she was told, simply spun around and padded back into the bedroom on bare feet.

_I could NOT do what I was told, what would you think of that? You'd come out here and the couch would be made and I'd be asleep and you'd have the bed to yourself and it would be great because we wouldn't be so close and yep, I'm making up the couch, take that Maura..._

Jane started packing up the sheets.

Look, it wasn't that she was whipped. Honestly, it wasn't. It was just... well... it... okay, the thing is...

_Oh, fuck it. I am _so_ whipped._

_R&IR&IR&I_

"So. Big bed."

"Yes."

For all of her bravado about being happy to sleep in the same bed, Jane couldn't help but notice that Maura was doing the exact same thing as her; namely, lying so close to 'her' edge of the bed that she ran the risk of falling off if she so much as breathed in deeply. Jane sighed.

"Comfy too."

"I agree."

Jane glanced over at Maura, who was biting her lip and picking at her nails nervously. Both of them were lying on top of the sheets, and Jane was covered in a fine layer of goosebumps.

It may have been spring, but it was still cool at night.

She glanced over at Maura. She was shivering lightly.

_Oh my God, this is ridiculous._

Jane leapt to her feet, pulled the covers back and crawled beneath, all in the matter of about 6 seconds. Maura watched her curiously the whole time.

"Aren't you cold?" Jane asked, and Maura bit her lip once more.

"A little bit."

"So? Get under the covers."

It took a few seconds, but finally Maura did as she was told, standing up to pull the covers back.

Which, of course, gave Jane the opportunity to admire her purple silk pyjamas some more.

Because, you know, the cut was just exquisite, and the material looked... uh... shiny, and...

_Okay_, so Maura looked fantastic in them. _Whatever._

She didn't have long to admire them, however, before Maura had practically dived into the bed, yanking covers from every which way to make herself a little cocoon.

"Hey!" Jane now had only one leg and one arm under the covers. For such a delicate looking woman, Maura sure was strong.

Maura's beautiful, multicoloured eyes peeked out curiously from somewhere near the top of the cocoon. "What?"

"I'm... the... I'm cold! The blankets! Half of those belonged to me, you know!" Maura's gaze drifted off to the side as she appeared to think about this. Eventually, she (grudgingly) kicked her leg out, somehow releasing nearly a foot worth of blanket that she had been holding hostage. Jane pulled it over her, but still found it unsatisfactorily inadequate: the side gaped, letting in cool air. "Maura!" she whined.

The cocoon shuffled a little bit towards the centre of the bed.

Jane noticed with some amusement that there was not one single corner of the blankets and sheets tucked in anymore, and wondered at how much time Maura must spend each morning making up her bed so that it appeared pristine, ready to be destroyed once more the next night.

"What are you doing?"

"Moving closer," the cocoon replied.

"Why?"

"So you can share my blankets."

Jane snorted. "I knew I should have made up the couch. _Your_ blankets? Really?"

"_The_ blankets," the cocoon corrected itself.

Jane sighed. "Maybe I'll just go make up the couch and you can keep your little blanket cave."

The cocoon appeared to shake its head. "No, stay here. There's lots of room."

"But not lots of blankets."

"... I can share."

"Yeah, you're doing a real good job of that so far." Jane watched in amusement as Maura twitched, somehow yanking back the blanket she had given Jane plus a little bit more. Now she simply resembled a giant marshmallow on the bed, while Jane was fairly sure that she was beginning to resemble an icicle. "Maybe I'll just go get my own blankets out of the cupboard."

Hazel eyes appeared again. "No! I'll share!"

"Maura," Jane sighed heavily, "the only way you'll be able to share your blankets is if I join your cocoon. And that means I'll have to cuddle you."

The eyes lowered slightly before looking back up at her. "Is that... such a bad thing?"

And now it was Jane's turn to bite her lip.

Her own lip, that is. Not Maura's. Not that she wouldn't mind biting Mau...

_Okay, getting distracted there, Jane._

"Um. I guess not."

_Oh my God. You are 38 years old. Grow a pair!_

"In fact, I think that would be just fine!"

_See, much better._

"Fantastic, in fact! Let's cuddle!"

_Well, don't scare her for God's sake._

"Uh, that is... if you want to."

_Yeah, that's better. You weirdo._

The cocoon's eyes crinkled up in the corners. "I do."

"Good. Um, well then, I guess... I better... uh..." Try as she might, she could not see one opening to the blankets wrapped around her best friend cum... well... whateverthehellshewasnow. Or whatever she was turning into. Or...

_Not thinking about that._

Anyway, it was weird because Jane had _seen_ the blankets laid out on the bed before, and they looked like perfectly normal blankets... but now it seemed like the only gap was the one in which Maura's eyes were peeking out, and that _might_ be a bit of a tight squeeze and...

Oh.

Never mind.

Maura lifted one arm and the whole blanket cocoon illusion fell away. Now she looked more like one of those marshmallows with the strawberry filling, except maybe it would be more like grape filling because Maura was wearing purple pyjamas and grape filling is always purple even though some grapes are green and _why the fuck are you lying there thinking about grapes when you could be inside the marshmallow too?_

Jane shuffled over, immediately curling into the warmth of the cocoon/marshmallow. Maura moved her arm across Jane's chest as she placed the blankets back around them both and then just... didn't move it. With a sigh, she rested her head on Jane's shoulder and closed her eyes.

_Whoa, we're really cuddling._

_Or maybe it's snuggling. What's the difference?_

_It feels really nice. Is it _supposed_ to feel this nice?_

_Maybe not. Maybe I'm thinking too much into this._

_What if she doesn't feel the same way I'm beginning to feel?_

_No, that's stupid. _She's_ the one cuddling _me_, after all._

_Yeah, but..._

_OH MY GOD. YOU ARE 38. CALM THE FUCK DOWN. YOU'RE NOT A TEENAGER._

_But..._

"Did you know that the period in which an insect forms a cocoon is called the 'pupal' stage? It is during the time of pupation that the adult structures of the insect are formed while the larval structures are broken down. The pupation stage can last weeks, months or even years. The Monarch Butterfly pupates for only two weeks."

Jane smiled fondly, her brain happily shutting up for the first time all night. "And what insects take years to pupilate?"

"_Pupate_. Anise Swallowtails."

"Isn't that a bird? It sounds like the name of a bird."

Maura stroked Jane's side absently. "No, it's the name of a particular type of butterfly."

Jane shivered, lifting her arm up to run her fingers down Maura's arm gently. "And how long does Maura Isles need to pupate?"

"Oh, I find about 7 hours a night sufficient."

Jane lifted a hand, grateful for her brain's sudden silence (she rather thought she had shocked it into submission with her bravery), and slowly trailed it down Maura's face. "And you're the most beautiful butterfly of all."

Maura bit her lip. Jane's eyes followed the movement. "I disagree."

"You do?" Jane kept stroking Maura's face.

"I think that the 'Jane Rizzoli' is much more beautiful."

Jane looked down, noticing that somehow, without her knowledge, their hands had linked together. She shrugged. "Sometimes I only pupate for four or five hours a night. Sometimes three hours is all I get."

"And yet, that's enough." Maura had lifted her head, her eyes glittering. Jane watched her closely.

Maura leaned forward and Jane watched, finally closing her eyes as Maura placed a sweet kiss on her cheek, catching the corner of her lips ever so slightly.

"Maura?"

"Good night, Jane."

Maura settled back into position, and Jane stared at her. "Should I turn the light off?" she finally asked.

Maura grunted. "No. Comfortable."

Jane drew in a deep breath. "Me too, Maura. Me too."

And for once, Jane's brain had nothing further to add.

END CHAPTER TWENTY ONE

_Weee, an almost kiss! That's exciting, right? An almost kiss? Okay, so I don't think many people were thrilled by my offer of virtual vegies last time, so this time I offer you... VIRTUAL CHOCOLATE. In the form of bunnies and eggs, because we all know that chocolate tastes better when it has a shape (like the pancakes, as Rondo said!). No one understands why this is, but it is an undeniable fact of life. And if you don't like chocolate (what is WRONG with you? hehe), I offer you virtual chips. Because honestly, it's the Easter weekend (or it is for me at least, and it will be shortly for many of you), and I'm pretty sure it's against the law to eat healthy stuff during the Easter weekend._

_Seriously though, I love writing and I love that so many people seem to be reading and enjoying this, but I would absolutely love to know your reactions to the story so far. It doesn't take long... make me smile? Thank you. And as always..._

_Love to all xoxo_


	23. Chapter 22

_WOOO Fanfiction has finally fixed their problem with Doc Manager! YAY! Yes, this is a moment for rejoicing. Rejoice with me. :-D_

_And OMG I totally realized yesterday that I still have a scar on my arm from the mean saw-wielding doctor when I was 8! It's only tiny, but still, scar! I had a hot shower and when I came out, my skin was all pink (well, pinker than USUAL... I'm normally quite pink. Oh, and I tan pink. It's awesome. Red headed fathers passing their genes on for the win :-P And my mother has the most beautiful olive skin, but I just look like her in facial features. Did I get her skin tone? NO. Rude.) except for this white little line on my arm and I was like OMG SCAR *poke poke*. But I can't see it unless I have a hot shower, and that way it stands out. Sigh._

_OKAY! Now, onto Paladin's review (man I wish I could reply to you via PM!) I DIDN'T EVEN THINK OF THAT (the whole temperature hotel thing). *feels shameful* LOL. So I kinda explained it in this chapter, because Maura seems the kind to worry about her carbon footprint and stuff and hopefully it doesn't come across as me just attempting to make it sound like something I was TOTALLY planning the whole time. Actually, wait, maybe I hope it does come across that way. I don't know. Anyway, I love reading your reviews, so keep 'em up! (and we strongly suspect that my brother had/has Aspergers too, but not much was known about it back then... small world, eh?)._

_I totally slept in this morning. Possibly why I'm even more like 'weeeee' than normal. 6:30 man! I slept in till 6:30! :-D That NEVER happens! :-D Yes, I am one of those super perky, annoying morning people. Not so perky lately cause I'm sore, but still somewhat perky. AND I don't drink tea or coffee. LOL_

_Okay, enough rambling. My authors notes are getting out of control. Lucky you guys seem to like them. :-P Onto the chapter!_

*****CHAPTER TWENTY TWO*****

"... and so then she kissed me. Like, on the cheek, but it got my mouth a little bit. _Deliberately_. I mean, obviously she deliberately kissed me, but I mean that she deliberately got my mouth. Is deliberately not sounding like a word to you anymore? 'Cause it kind of is to me. Deliberately. Delibera... never mind. Anyway. So when we woke up in the morning, she was all wrapped around me like a Tootsie Roll and... oh. You won't understand that reference. Uh, like a tortoise shell?"

Bass moved his head up and down, seemingly in approval of this analogy. Jo looked at Bass and then at Jane, wagging her tail.

"Uh, good. So she was all wrapped around me and it was so warm and comfortable, especially since she _insists _on not having the room airconditioned or heated or anything at night so it was _cold... _I don't know why, something about our carbon footprint or whatever... and..."

Jo Friday yipped.

"What?"

Jo growled.

"Don't take that tone with me! I didn't do anything!"

She wagged her tail slightly but growled again.

"I didn't!"

Both creatures looked at her for a long moment. She was pretty sure that if they had eyebrows (or were capable of using them... did tortoises have eyebrows? Hmm, probably not), said eyebrows would be raised right about now.

"I went on a run."

Silence. _Accusing_ silence.

"Without her. Before she woke up."

Bass turned around. Jo Friday yipped at her again.

"What, so you're just ignoring me, Bass? And Jo, stop yelling. I know, okay? I know I did the chicken shit thing. I just..." she sighed heavily. "I don't know." She perked up. "Did I tell you she told me that she loves me?"

Jo sighed. Bass looked at the ceiling.

"Right. Guess I might have mentioned that once or twice."

More silence.

"_Okay_, fine, maybe I mentioned it more than that. Geez."

Both animals simply looked at her.

"But did I mention she said it out loud _and_ wrote it on the mirror?"

Bass turned around and started walking away. Jo sat wagging her tail for a few more seconds before she seemingly realized that Bass was on the move. Then she stood up, tail waving perkily in the air and pranced away too.

"Guys! Come on. Guys?"

They continued moving away, finally settling in a corner of the room together, resolutely pointing their backs towards Jane.

"So I _did_ mention it then."

Nothing. Nada. Zilch. Zero.

"_Really?_"

Dum de dum. Might as well be in the room _alone_.

"Fine. I'm going. See if I come visit you again! You'll be sorry then!"

Neither animal turned around.

"GAH."

Jane turned around and stomped out of the room, slamming the door shut behind her. The young student named 'Sheryl' had just come out of another room, and she stopped, staring at Jane in shock and not a small amount of fear.

"Uh... Offi... Detective Rizzoli? Are you okay?"

And even though she had corrected herself, Jane took great pleasure in growling, "It's _Detective_," in her ear. And then adding, just because she could, "Those two are impossible!"

Sheryl looked up at her, wide eyed. "Bass and Jo Friday?"

"Yes. I'm not visiting them again. Then they'll miss me!" she yelled the last part over her shoulder.

Sheryl smiled bravely. "I'm sure they will."

Jane glared.

Sheryl stopped smiling.

Jane stomped out.

_Stupid Sheryl._

_Stupid Bass, and Jo, and Maura._

_Stupid ME._

_R&IR&IR&I_

"Hi."

"Hi."

Frankie looked at Jane expectantly. She stared back.

"Uh..."

Jane interrupted him, "I don't want to talk to you." She pushed past him into his house, stared about for a few seconds to gain her bearings (she probably should visit her brother more often), and then headed off to the right, into the kitchen.

"Right." Frankie shut the door, and Jane heard his footsteps tailing after her. "So... you're just here to, what, drink my beer?"

Jane opened up the cupboard, staring into it intently. Finally, she pulled out a packet of chips.

"Oh, and eat my food. Fantastic."

Jane pointed a finger at him (somewhat awkwardly, as she was laden down with beer and chips), and said, "Shut it. I'm not talking."

"Uh huh." He followed her as she walked into the lounge room. She looked at his couch in dismay. Seriously. _So. Much. Crap._

"Where do you _sit?_"

He shrugged, taking a pull off his beer. "I dunno. Anywhere."

"_Where?_ You can't see _anything_ through all this garbage!" she exclaimed and, with that, dumped her items on the nearest available surface (his coffee table, also laden up with things) and began throwing things from the couch onto the floor.

"Hey! I don't come to your place and insult it!"

"That's 'cause the _one_ time in recent history you came to my place to help me with my mattress, you were too _busy_ checking out my drug dealer neighbour to actually _help me_. Hence there being no further invitations."

Frankie gaped. "Okay, for one thing, she was _not_ a drug dealer - she was an undercover cop _pretending_ to be a drug dealer..." (Jane shrugged. Pot-ay-toe, pot-ah-toe), "and for another... I didn't invite you here today!"

"I know." She'd finally cleared a space wide enough on the couch to sit, so, after grabbing her beer and food, she flopped down, propping her feet up on the table.

"And... you don't care. Also, 'hence'? Really?"

"Shut up. Where's your remote?" She started moving things on the couch again, trying to find it.

"Will you stop? I have a system going here."

Jane snorted, still looking. "A system of crap."

"Shut up."

"Aha!" Jane pointed the remote at the TV, flipping through the channels until she found a baseball game. She popped open the beer and happily settled in.

Well, that is until Frankie reached over, snatched the remote out of her hand, and turned the TV off.

"Hey!" Jane made grabby hands towards the remote. He held it out of reach. She frowned, crossing her arms against her chest, pouting even harder when he wrenched the beer out of her hands too.

"Don't 'hey' me, what's going on? Why are you here?"

"No reason."

Frankie raised an eyebrow. Jane stared back at him resolutely.

Frankie stayed silent. Jane picked at her fingernails.

Frankie tapped his fingers on his knee. Jane started counting the random dots on the ceiling.

Frankie sighed.

"Fine. I guess I'll just call Maura then."

Jane's eyes widened. "No!"

"Why not?"

Jane remained silent, but she could feel her eyes darting about nervously.

Frankie simply raised both eyebrows this time.

"What?" Jane said defensively.

He just gave her a look akin to what one would give to a misbehaving toddler. Jane crossed her arms across her chest.

"I _said_ I'm not talking."

"Okay, so I'll just talk to Maura."

"Frank_ie_."

"Jan_ie_."

Jane glared. She didn't appreciate her tone being made fun of. Even if she was whining.

Which she wasn't, thank you very much. She was just... speaking with added inflection... or something.

Finally, Frankie sighed. "Jane, you are 39..." ('38!' Jane corrected, somewhat horrified), "... you need to start acting like an adult. No one will give a shit if you fall in love with Maura."

"Who said it had anything to do with Maura? And what do you mean 'if I fall in love with her'?"

"You're right," Frankie mused, "You already _have_ fallen in love, so 'if' was the wrong word to use there..."

Jane grumped, slumping back further onto Frankie's couch. ("Am not," she muttered stubbornly, but he ignored her).

"And the reason I know it's to do with Maura is because I know _you_, Janie. What happened?"

"Don't call me 'Janie'."

Frankie waited.

"It's weird! You're my brother."

"Which is why we agreed that you are never talking me out of my belief that you have taken a vow of chastity. I can still listen though."

Jane uncrossed her arms slowly, staring down at her fingers. Frankie waited.

And waited.

And waited some more.

What? If he was going to _force_ Jane to speak, she was damn well going to make him work for it.

Plus, she was _kinda_ having trouble coming up with the words. But, you know, whatever.

"Jane..."

"Wetoldeachotherwelovedeachotherandalmostkissedandspentthewholenightsnuggling."

_Wow. That was easier than I thought it would be._

_Aaaand Frankie looks less shocked than I thought he would. Huh._

"And?"

"And what? This is pretty big, you know!"

He scoffed. "Only to someone who hasn't been watching the two of you interact for the last four years." He  
moved his beer to his mouth, about to take a mouthful when suddenly a thought seemed to occur to him. "Wait... so what happened this morning, then?"

Jane mumbled indistinctly under her breath.

"What?"

She mumbled some more.

"_Jane._"

"I went for a run."

He raised an eyebrow (seriously, what was _with_ all the eyebrow raising? God, it's like people thought she was overdramatic or some shit. _Ridiculous!_).

"Without her."

He waved a hand in a 'please proceed' type of way.

"Uh... beforeshewokeup."

He started rubbing his temples.

Jane, for the lack of anything better to do, kept talking. "We were talking about butterflies and insects last night, and how long they take to _pupate_, which is what Maura calls it, but it basically means when they go into a cocoon for a while (and we started talking about that because Maura is basically this huge blanket thief and makes herself a little cocoon when she goes to bed and it's really cute... uh, warm, I meant warm) and so I started asking her how long she pupates for to emerge as a beautiful butterfly each day and..."

She stopped. Frankie had raised a hand, still rubbing his temples (she wasn't quite sure what he'd done with his beer, but that was the _least_ of her worries at the moment).

"Okay, I'm _really_ not interested in hearing your mushy, romantic little bedtime talks."

Jane opened her mouth to argue (it _wasn't_ mushy and romantic, she didn't _do_ mushy and romantic... did she?), but Frankie kept talking.

"What I _am_ interested in hearing is why you are _here_ instead of passionately engaging in non sexual related activities with Maura." He shuddered slightly. She frowned.

"I don't know! I wanted to... to talk about it." He said nothing. "It's weird, isn't it weird? Going from friendship to more?"

"Does it _feel_ weird?"

She stopped, thinking about it. "It feels like it _should_ feel weird."

"But _does_ it?"

"... No."

Frankie shook his head. "Sometimes I can't believe you're the oldest sibling... so _go back_ to the hotel and _talk to her._"

She put a chip in her mouth.

"Okay," he sat down next to her. "Remember that movie you made me go to? You wanted to go with Maura but she was out of town at a convention and you were moping about? The zoo one? It's pretty much your favourite now... you cried at the end..."

"I didn't cry. And I wasn't _moping._"

"Yes you did and yes you were. Remember what the older brother said? 20 seconds of courage. That's all it takes."

She put another chip in her mouth.

He yanked the bag out of her hands (which, by the way, what the _hell_ had he done with her beer? And _his _beer?!), pulled her to her feet and, with a firm hand at her back, pushed her towards the door.

"Hey!"

"20 seconds of courage, Jane. And don't forget, vow of chastity."

She glowered as the door shut in her face.

Vow of chastity.

HA!

_R&IR&IR&I_

_I could visit Ma. She'd probably appreciate a visit._

_No._

_What about Frost? Haven't seen him in... a few hours._

_Yeah, and remember the whole 'K-I-S-S-I-N-G' thing? Yeah, no._

_What about Korsak?_

_What about NO._

_Tommy?_

_Oh my God, stop it Jane._

_I could go see..._

_WILL YOU PLEASE SHUT UP?_

_But..._

_STOP IT._

Jane frowned. Even her own brain had it in for her. Which, considering the fact that she was standing outside the hotel room at the time, card in hand... it was probably unsurprising.

Maybe Maura wasn't even there! There's a thought! Not entirely a fantastic thought, but still...

Aaaand the door opened.

_So there goes that idea._

"Hi."

"Hi." Jane scuffed her toe nervously, then immediately straightened up, feeling ridiculous. "So, what's doin'?"

"I've been thinking."

"Okay."

"And I decided something."

Jane drew her head back nervously. "What?"

"I don't think you're going to do it yourself. I think it's up to me to make the first move."

"First... move?" Yup, and that wasn't squeaky. At all.

"Yes."

"First move with... what?" Definitely not squeaky. She'd just... you know... inhaled some helium. Or something. _Obviously._

"I think you know what."

"I don't know if I..."

Oh. And that was... okay. Wow.

Maura drew back. "Was that..."

_Fuck breathing._

Jane leapt forward and captured Maura's lips again, wrapping her arms around Maura's body, pressing them up against each other almost impossibly close.

This was good. Her brain may not have been capable of higher function right now, but this? This was good.

_20 seconds of courage, man._

_You did it._

_Okay, she did it, but..._

_SHUT UP BRAIN._

END CHAPTER TWENTY TWO

_I'm just unashamedly referencing some of my favourite movies in this fic. I don't even care. Titanic... The Notebook... We Bought a Zoo... I'm a sap._

_ANYWAYS. You got your kiss! Was it good? Was it bad? TELL ME. FEED ME YOUR THOUGHTS. OM NOM NOM I EAT REVIEWS FOR BREAKFAST. Ooh, breakfast. I should go have some breakfast now._

_Next chapter will probably have Maura's POV. Maybe. I don't know. I haven't decided yet. If I get lots of reviews, I might have it up by tonight though (okay, 12 hours time, cause for some of you it is night time right NOW and how weird is that? Ahem. Anyways), depending on how inspired I feel. More reviews, more inspiration. See, I am just shameless, begging for reviews like this. WHATEVER._

_Anyways, hope everyone is having a lovely Easter weekend and you've all been spoilt by the Easter Bunny... :-P love to all! xoxo_


	24. Chapter 23

_OFFICIALLY THE LONGEST CHAPTER YET. I find it easy to write longer chapters when I write as Maura. She's very wordy. My previous longest chapter was chapter 19, which hey, AGAIN Maura's POV. That woman, I swear... *shakes head* LOL. Anyway, that chapter was 3,064 words WITH my crazy long authors notes, while this one is already 2,997 words (I think) and I'm only just typing the author's notes NOW. AND I haven't reread the chapter and added a zillion little things yet. So it will probably be like 5 bazillion words when I'm done. Cause, you know, I'm kinda crazy like Jane (or at least, Jane in this story), but I talk lots like Maura. So yay for long chapters! LOL_

_Anyways, as I said, this is MAURA'S POV. So it is set in the same time frame as the last chapter, starting from the moment Maura woke up in the hotel room alone. I hope you like it! And, I had a couple of comments saying that they expected the kiss to be a bit more detailed... there was a reason behind it not being too detailed in the last chapter. Jane's brain was dead. No, lol, that's not it, I just wanted to really explore it properly in this chapter. So hopefully I did a good job._

_Now, onto Paladin! Hi! 'crack of noon' cracked me up, by the way. Loved it. PM is private message, which is only available to members of the fanfiction site... so unless you wanted to join up, I can't PM you. And your email addy (I assume that was what you posted) didn't show up... FF doesn't like us posting sites or email addresses up here. So, if you were so inclined to try again, maybe put spaces between everything. That way it might work. Oh, and I changed that sentence you mentioned, cause it bothered me too. So thank you! :-D_

_As to the other guest that posted a review something like this: dflsdfufpds$... thanks? I hope that's a good thing LOL_

_Also, just randomly, DEATH TO ALL MOSQUITOES. (massive mozzie outbreak around home lately. I'm covered in bites. NOT IMPRESSED)_

_Onto the chapter!_

*****CHAPTER TWENTY THREE*****

When Maura woke up that morning, she felt very happy. And warm, which really wasn't all that surprising considering she was still wrapped up in her many layers of blankets (honestly, she had tried sleeping with the blankets all tucked in once and had had her worst night's sleep in years. She then decided that she was destined to be a somewhat 'messy' sleeper, much to her chagrin). However, she also felt alone. And that did _not_ make her happy.

"Jane?"

Silence. Well, her voice _was_ somewhat muffled...

She pulled the blankets down so that her mouth was fully exposed.

"Jane?"

Nothing. Now Maura was truly not happy.

Ooh, and she was also cold! Flipping back the covers, Maura had to suppress a deep shudder that threatened to quake her whole body, quickly thrusting her feet into her slippers and heading over to the temperature control, brushing her hair free of knots as she walked.

It had already been turned on. She smiled slightly. Jane knew her so well. Yet the apartment hadn't had a chance to warm up yet, so surely that meant that Jane had only just put it on... which meant maybe she hadn't gotten far! Snagging her robe, Maura quickly shrugged it on, flipping her now silky hair out from underneath it as she raced to the door and pulled it open, looking down the outside hallway. Empty. Maura frowned, slowly shutting the door again.

Had she pushed too far, too fast last night? Had it been too much? Jane seemed to have liked it though... and she was the one who began the line of questioning about Maura's pupating habits (which was ridiculous in its way; humans did not need to put themselves into a 'cocoon' to enter the adult stage of life. However, Maura had appreciated it's symbolism for sleep, for the dawning of a new day and so had bitten back on her impulses to correct Jane's terminology).

She headed back into the bedroom and made the bed quickly before heading into the kitchen and preparing her morning coffee (the coffee machine at this hotel was, sadly, not _quite_ as good as her own, but it did the job well enough) as she mused over the problem further. After all, she thought, Jane was the one who had first called _her_ beautiful, not the other way around. She simply returned the compliment. And she had not kissed Jane on the lips... not exactly... she kissed her on the cheek. Okay, so it was pretty close to the lips... _very_ close in fact... but it was still not a real lip-to-lip kiss.

The coffee machine hissed and began to spit out the hazelnut coffee she had chosen for that morning. Hurriedly, she placed a cup underneath the stream, carefully wiping up the missed liquid with a strip of paper towel as she cursed the fact that her inner monologue was causing her to become so distracted that the simple act of making coffee (granted, not as simple as Jane's 'instant coffee' but anyway) was overtaxing.

Maura sighed as she poured her milk into the cup (2% fat, thank you. Jane had picked it up for her shortly after they came to the hotel, not realizing that Maura could quite easily have had the hotel staff organise it, but still wanting Maura to have the best) and she added a bit of sugar, stirring absently. Where on earth could Jane have gone?

Well, that was fairly easy. There were only so many places she _could_ go. Back to her own apartment (Maura didn't think she was likely to do that... she would want to talk to someone at the moment), over to the pet home to talk to Bass and Jo (that was a definite possibility), over to her mother's (Maura wrinkled her nose at that. Very unlikely), Frankie's place (hmm, another possibility), Frost's (no, the last time Jane had visited there, she had come back muttering about 12 year olds), work (it was Sunday, and Jane wasn't on call, so probably not) or... Korsak's? No, Maura decided, shaking her head. He was like a father to her, but she didn't think that Jane would feel comfortable discussing something like this with him. So the possibilities lay somewhere between visiting the pets and visiting the elder of her two younger siblings.

_Unless, of course, she just went out for a run,_ Maura was forced to consider when she finally caught sight of the note fixed to the refrigerator.

_**Gone for a run**__**...**__**Jane**_

Maura wondered at the significance of the dots, and envisioned Jane standing there that morning, writing that note with shaky hands, wondering how to sign off on it. Once upon a time, both she and Maura would sign off on a note to each other with 'love' without a second thought, but now that word had taken on new meaning in their relationship. She had had her doubts when the words were first said... what if Jane meant 'love' as in a friendship type of love, what if she hadn't meant it the way Maura had interpreted it, what if, what if, what if... but those doubts had quickly dissipated when Jane said it the second time. Maura had felt no further doubts then.

People don't say _those_ words, looking _that _way, if they are just saying it to a friend... meaning it in a 'friendship' type of way.

Maura may not be brilliant at social cues and interactions (though she had improved enormously since meeting Jane) but she knew this for sure.

Jane loved her. Jane was _in love with her_. And Maura loved her back.

She sipped her coffee slowly, wondering what to do. She was fairly certain, on second thought, that her hypothesis about Jane's whereabouts was not entirely inaccurate. Perhaps Jane _had_ gone for a run, but she almost certainly would not come straight back to the hotel. She would need to chat, and Maura suspected that the place she had gone to do so was one (or both) of the places she had hypothesised at previously.

Well, Maura needed to chat too, and she knew to whom she was going to talk. She would have loved to have seen the pets too, but the possibility of running into Jane was too high, and Maura felt herself too emotionally distracted to face her right now.

So Angela was the way to go.

This decided, Maura headed back to the bedroom, pulling a navy dress out of the cupboard. The designer of the dress was 'Drome'... traditionally, Maura tried not to wear the same outfit twice in less than a month (unless, of course, it was teamed with jacket and shoes and other accessories so that it looked like an entirely new outfit) but Jane had seen her in this dress only a few weeks prior and she looked suitably aroused... so Maura knew she had to wear it again. She slipped on a pair of black heels (Gianvito Rossi), grabbed her handbag and, with a final check in the mirror to ensure everything was well and good (she was not wearing makeup but her hair was sitting nicely, so Maura was satisfied), she headed out the door.

_R&IR&IR&I_

Angela opened the door with a flourish. "Maura!"

"Hi, Angela."

"I thought you might have been my other daughter... she hasn't been to visit me lately." Angela peered around Maura, as though suspicious that Maura had tucked Jane into a side pocket somewhere.

Maura felt a rush of warmth as the 'other daughter' part registered, and smiled fondly at her best friend's mother.

"May I come in?" Angela was still peering behind Maura suspiciously, so she hastened to add, "Jane is not with me... I actually wanted to talk about her with you... if that's okay."

Angela's eyes immediately flicked to Maura's face. "Of course. Oh, of course, where are my manners, come in, come in... is everything okay?"

"I..." Maura shrugged helplessly. Truthfully, she didn't _know_ if everything was okay, so she didn't feel qualified to answer. "I hope so," she settled for replying.

Angela pursed her lips slightly, pulling out a chair at the table, a clear invitation for Maura. She sank down gratefully in the offered chair, clutching her bag nervously. "Can I offer you a drink?"

"Water, please." She felt somewhat on edge after her coffee that morning, so she decided that water was the way to go for the rest of the day.

Angela set a coaster on the table and the ice cold glass of water on top of it. She then sat down and stared at Maura intently. "Are you in a relationship with my daughter?" she asked bluntly.

Maura was startled. So much for her vague thoughts of easing her way into this conversation. "No."

Angela raised an eyebrow.

"I mean, we're friends... best friends... and I love her, but..."

Angela raised both eyebrows.

Maura deflated. "I want to be."

Angela smiled, satisfied. Maura had never truly understood the expression 'like the cat that ate the canary', but she thought she understood it now. "Ha! I thought so. So, do you think Jane will ever move back to her apartment, or should I keep the appointment I've made with the movers?"

Maura gaped. "I... we... you... we haven't even _kissed_ yet!"

"Oh." Angela appeared to think about this. "Do you _want_ to?"

Maura flushed. "Yes."

"So kiss her."

Maura opened and closed her mouth a few times, finding words hard to come by (which, all in all, was a _very_ odd experience for Maura Isles). "But..."

Angela sighed, reaching out and taking one of Maura's hands in her own. "Look... Jane is..." she sighed again, biting her lip, "she's a lot like her father, but she's also a _lot_... probably more than she'd like to admit... like me too. She..." Angela shook her head, "she wears her heart on her sleeve, but she protects it with armour, and a moat, and a fire breathing dragon."

Maura was confused. Perhaps seeing this, Angela hastened to explain, "What I mean is, she shows her feelings readily, but she doesn't let people in easily. She doesn't let people _influence_ those feelings easily. She's too scared of getting hurt."

"Casey..." Maura said slowly, beginning to understand, but Angela shook her head.

"No, not Casey. I don't think she ever _really_ let Casey in. She let him very close... probably closer than anyone has been in a long time... but he wasn't really all _there_, you know? He hadn't worked his way into her heart, not all the way."

Maura nodded slowly.

"But you... Maura, you penetrated those walls quicker and more efficiently than anyone I've ever seen. You got to Jane's heart, and you found your place there and Jane... Jane's scared of losing that. Of losing you."

"She won't lose me."

"But she doesn't _know_ that." Angela squeezed Maura's hand. "Jane is... selfless. She'd rather suffer than risk hurting you. She's also selfish, because she'd rather be alone than run the risk of ever losing you. She'd rather be alone than risk being hurt, even though she _knows_ how you feel."

Maura shook her head. "I don't..."

Angela smacked her other hand down on the table. Maura jumped. "Jane... is... like... _me_, Maura," she said, emphasizing every word tightly. "She is like me so much that it scares me sometimes. She..." Angela sighed. "Can I tell you something?"

Maura nodded. "Of course."

"When I was 14, I met this boy. He was... amazing. Handsome, sweet, charming. He made me feel things I've never felt before, or since."

"Frank?"

"No." Angela huffed out a laugh. "Frank was who I _settled _for. He wasn't who I truly loved. No, I fell in love with a boy called Marco. Marco..." she trailed off and shook her head, "I don't even remember his last name anymore. Isn't that silly? But we did everything together. For three years, we spent all our free time together, we talked, we laughed. We were so different, but we complemented each other. Like you and Jane do," she reached out and patted Maura's cheek fondly. "And one day... he told me he loved me."

"What did you do?"

"I panicked. I was so scared of losing him... of losing what we had... that I pushed him away. And I ended up losing him anyway. Sometimes I think..." Angela's eyes had taken on a faraway haze, as though envisioning an entirely different lifetime, "sometimes I wonder what would have happened, if I had just been brave. Or if he had just been brave enough to force _me_ to be brave." She laughed, brushing away a tear that had fallen onto her cheek. "Don't get me wrong, I don't mind. Not really, not anymore. I married Frank a year and a half later, and I had a lot of good years with him. They weren't the _best_... we didn't mesh as well as Marco and I did, even on our best days... but they were good. And I ended up with three amazing children. I can never, ever regret them."

There was quiet for a few minutes. Maura squeezed Angela's hand in a sign of solidarity.

Finally, after a long silence, "But... I do wonder, sometimes. I think about how things could have been... how happy I could have been." She suddenly squeezed Maura's hand, still gripped tightly in her own. "Don't do that, Maura. Don't let yourself live a life of regret. Don't let yourself keep asking 'what if'. Jane won't do it... she's not brave enough. Be brave for her, Maura. Be brave for both of you. Please."

Maura looked down. "I don't know..."

"Yes, you do. You _do_, Maura." Angela spoke with such conviction that Maura lifted her gaze once more. "Do you love her?"

Maura answered instantly. "Yes."

"Is she worth it?"

Softly this time, but with no less feeling, "Yes."

"Then be brave...

"Please, just... be brave, Maura."

_R&IR&IR&I_

What would it be like to kiss Jane? Maura wondered, pacing back and forth on bare feet. _Really_ kiss her, not just the little pecks on the cheeks they had been giving each other lately. No, this wouldn't be a lips to cheek kiss, it would be lip to lip kissing... teeth gnashing, saliva swapping, lips swelling kissing. And Maura had _no idea_ what it would be like. Jane was harsh and brash in her day to day life... would that translate into her kiss? Would it be brutal, forceful? Or... she treated Maura so differently to how she treated other people though. She treated Maura as though she was someone special. Not quite like she was made of porcelain... Jane had more respect for her than that... but like she was precious. A rare metal or stone that did not break easily, but deserved to be handled with respect and care all the same. And so Maura wondered if _that_ would translate to her kiss. Would it be soft and sweet? A gentle movement of lips together? Would Maura hear the proverbial fireworks going off, like so commonly described in romance novels, or was she just getting far too carried away now?

Suddenly she began to wonder what Jane would _taste_ like. It was not often that Maura's synaesthesia allowed her to taste food (or another person, in this case) in colours... in fact, it was very rare... but she couldn't help but wonder if Jane would be the exception to that rule.

Jane seemed to be the exception to so many rules in Maura's world.

Suddenly, Maura was wrenched out of her thoughts by the sound of footsteps down the hallway, and a shadow that hesitated outside the door. She waited for the beep that would allow Jane entry.

It didn't come.

Taking a deep, fortifying breath, Maura opened the door.

Jane stood there, staring at her wide eyed, scuffing her toe against the carpet.

"Hi."

"Hi. So... what's doin'?"

Maura pushed the door back so that it hit the magnetic door jamb and stayed open. She stepped forward.

"I've been thinking."

"Okay." Jane stared wide eyed as Maura got even closer.

"And I've decided something."

"What?"

"I don't think you're going to do it yourself. I think it's up to me to make the first move."

"First... move?" Jane squeaked, and Maura suppressed a smile. Angela was right; Jane would never actively pursue this. Maura meant far too much to her. It was up to _her_ to make this happen.

"Yes."

"First move with... what?" Maura didn't know Jane's voice could reach those decibels. It was somewhat interesting. Or at least it _would_ be... if Maura's own heart wasn't beating quite so fast, if her _own_ voice didn't seem to be slightly different to usual.

"I think you know what."

"I don't know if I..."

Maura was sick of talking. She stepped forward the rest of the way, put her hands on Jane's waist and stepping up on tiptoes to press her lips against the oh so inviting ones in front of her. It took her a moment, but Jane responded quickly, wrapping her arms around Maura.

Maura pulled back, suddenly overcome by a wave of uncertainty. "Was that..." but she couldn't finish, as Jane pressed forward again, capturing Maura's mouth with hers again, biting her lower lip gently, opening her mouth to Maura's questing tongue.

And Maura decided that both of her previous guesses were wrong as to what the kiss would be like... and also so, so right. It was sweet, and gentle, and harsh, and demanding, and kind, and forceful, all at once. No, she couldn't hear fireworks going off, but it did feel like all her nerves were on fire, extra sensitive to the touches that Jane was lovingly bestowing all over her body, seemingly without even being aware of it. Her fingers trailed over Maura's back and arms and sides gently, creating waves of goosebumps in their wake, and Maura decided that breathing was really, truly, incredibly overrated. She didn't want to let go of Jane's lips... not ever.

Oh, and as to the taste?

Jane tasted like... red. Red for passion, for fire, for love. She tasted like green, for freshness, for health, for beauty. She tasted like yellow, burning bright like the sun, and as happy as a sunflower. She tasted like blue, calm, soothing, yet she also tasted like orange, the burn of a fire and somehow juicy like the fruit. She tasted like purple, the peaceful slumber of a soothing dream, and she tasted like pink, like happiness and dancing.

In short, she tasted like a rainbow.

A rainbow of glorious, vibrant colours, so bright that they hurt the eyes, but so intensely wonderful that one found it impossible to look away.

Jane tasted like a rainbow.

Maura was happy with that.

END CHAPTER TWENTY THREE

_Okay, so... yes, the navy dress I talked about Maura wearing in this chapter is the same one we all drooled over in season 4, episode... uh, I wanna say 14? And yes, Drome is the designer. At least, that's what the internet told me. :-P And also, apologies for the repeated dialogue, but I wanted to tell it from Maura's side, so once more, apologies if it was too repetitious for you. Now..._

_TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK. OM NOM NOM REVIEWS. I mean, come on. It takes like two seconds out of your day to give me a swollen head (if that's Aussie slang, cause honestly, I don't know what is and what isn't anymore, swollen head just means make me feel good about myself lol). DO IT. You know you want to. I'm your sweet, wonderful, slightly kooky author. You love me. :-D_

_I don't even know what I'm saying anymore. Hope everyone is having an awesome Easter though! I went to my auntie and uncles place and it was lovely, except I was worrying everyone cause I wasn't talking. Is anyone else like that? You whinge like crazy when you get like a paper cut or something minor, but when something is really wrong, you just shut up and go really quiet? Cause I do that. Not sure why. Anyway. But it was a lovely day, and after a nap on my auntie's bed, I felt much more human. :-D And now I have CHOCOLATE. That the mummies at work gave me! Someone must have told them I like Lindt, cause I was like if I get some Cadbury chocolates, I'll give them away. But no, they gave me Lindt. I was like THESE BABIES ARE MINE. NO SHARESIES. :-D And a mummy messaged me to tell me that her baby has chicken pox. Yay for going back to work on Tuesday and scrubbing everything. Sigh._

_Ah well. Hope you enjoyed this chapter! REVIEW! Bye!_

_(also, all you guys rock. Just so you know that. LOVE YOU ALL FOREVER AND EVER. *long awkward hugs*)_

_Love to all xoxo_


	25. Chapter 24

_Paladin, the more I read your reviews, the more I like you. I love that you tell me so much and give me so much constructive feedback... it's fantastic! And yes, I agree that, particularly in this story, I have not been trying so hard to keep the minor characters IN character as much as possible... you will have to forgive me for that... my concentration is not at brilliant levels at the moment. I have already changed the 'removalists' part, as it was pointed out by another reviewer (perhaps you got in just a tad before the site got around to actually replacing the chapter for me) and no, the rainbow thing was not symbology for the 'gay pride'... in fact, that's why I added the extra notes about red meaning this, green meaning that etc. I felt that otherwise, it could be taken as that, and that was not my intention at all, much as I appreciate the whole gay pride movement. Of course, if readers choose to take it that way, that is entirely their prerogative :-) Your other points were similarly good, so I will have to consider them when I write this chapter (as I'm writing this part before I even touch the next chapter... aka, the chapter below!). As you may be aware, if you've read my profile, my dream is to be an author one day, so I find this good practice. Of course, when that day comes, I will be able to come up with my own characters and let them find their own nuances and mannerisms, but until then, I find this good practice. So thank you once more! (also Hershey's are not as readily available here as I imagine they are where you live... I'm not sure if I've ever tried them! So I will be sticking with Lindt as my all time favourite haha!). Aaaand I haven't reread your reviews when typing this chapter as I said I would. Eep. Oh well, I'll read them for the NEXT chapter! :-D_

_A huge thank you to Julia DeRoussie and Kaitlyn Eddy for helping me out with a part of this chapter! Much appreciated. And, as promised, this chapter is dedicated to you Julia! :-P_

_Also, I am sorry for the delay in chapters this time... I think it's been like five days since I've posted? And I usually try not to go more than two or three days. I've just had a baaad pain week, and have only just had enough concentration for work... once I get home, my brain is fried. I don't even remember driving home most days lol, how bad is that? Anyways. Apologies again, and hopefully I will have the next chapter up much more quickly this time._

_Also, I apologize if the quality of my writing had been affected for this chapter... if it has, please be patient with me! :-) I will try to get it back up to par immediately! And let me know if there are any glaring errors please :-)_

_Onto the chapter!_

*****CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR*****

"... so they _finally _kissed, and..."

Jane stopped in her tracks, teetered on the balls of her feet for a second, then slowly reversed, craning her neck suspiciously towards the break room where she could hear the very familiar voices of Frankie and Frost.

_They're talking about me and Maura!_

_Wait, they don't know I kissed Maura._

_No, _she_ kissed _me_._

_Whatever. They don't know though... do they?_

_Unless Ma was somehow spying on us._

_I so wouldn't put it past her. Train a telescope or binoculars or something on our window..._

_You're getting carried away._

_AM NOT. THEY KNOW SOMETHING._

Jane felt very tempted to kick the door in and demand answers, but before she could even properly formulate the thought...

"What are you doing?"

Jane jumped, turning around to look at Korsak guiltily. "Uh... nothing?"

He looked at her sceptically. "Nothing."

"No?"

He sighed. "Why are you standing outside the break room?"

Frost and Frankie came to the door, looking at Jane curiously. "I... was tired? And having a rest?" She attempted glaring at Frankie without the other two seeing. He looked somewhat taken aback, but as she watched, realization slowly dawned in his eyes.

"With your ear practically pressed up against the door?"

Jane tried to sound convincing. "I was _really_ tired. And," she added indignantly, "my ear was _not_ pressed against the door, thank you very much. I was just... standing here."

"Uh huh."

"I... felt dizzy?"

A familiar clicking of high heels announced their owner's arrival. "You know, Jane, it is very obvious when you try to hide something. You continually phrase your sentences as questions. It's a very telling sign."

Jane closed her eyes. _Just_ what she needed... Maura _fucking_ Isles.

_Ooh, fucking Maura Isles._

_No, bad brain!_

_Making love to M..._

_WILL YOU PLEASE SHUT UP?_

"Hi Maura."

Maura smiled sweetly. "Hi. So what were you doing?"

"Nothing!"

Maura raised an eyebrow. Korsak frowned at her in concern. Frost looked bewildered, while Frankie looked as though he was trying not to laugh.

Jane also noticed that he was keeping a safe distance from her. Stupid brothers.

_Well, shit._

Jane looked around at the four pairs of expectant eyes and groaned, rolling her own eyes back dramatically as she theatrically buckled her knees and ran her hands through her hair. "Oh my _God._ _Fine._ Get in here!" She stormed into the break room and shot a death glare at Officer Armstrong and Officer Collins who were still sitting in there (seriously, did Frost and Frankie not _care_ about her privacy at _all?_). The two officers _very_ quickly left for some strange reason (Jane was exceptionally proud of her glares, really), and she waited until the other four had filed in before slamming the door shut and rounding on Frost and Frankie.

"You two..." she said, pointing a finger accusingly between the two of them, "were talking about us!"

"What?" Frost said, at the same time as Frankie said,

"No, we weren't!"

("Us?" Korsak piped up confusedly, but everyone ignored him).

"Yes you were! Don't deny it!"

"When were we talking about you?" Frost looked honestly confused, but that was okay because Frankie was continuing to look highly amused and Jane was blaming him anyway.

"Just then!"

"What were we saying?" Frankie asked, and she glared even harder. He just looked more amused, moving himself a little further back. Presumably, she thought, in case she tried to kick him.

Seriously, this was the problem with working with people you grew up with. The effectiveness of The Glare just did not have the same impact.

"You know! About me and... about _kissing_. You were saying... you know," Jane found herself flailing wildly but seemed unable to stop. "You were gossiping! Saying we're a couple!"

"Oh, so you are a couple now?" Frost this time, with growing awareness in his eyes.

("Who's a couple?" asked Korsak, looking between them all with a furrowed brow).

"So we were talking about _kissing_... and you automatically think it's about you and your new..." he hesitated, "coupling?" Frankie's eyebrows rose.

("We're a couple?" Maura asked, brightening the room with a ten thousand watt smile).

"Well... wasn't it?" Jane asked, suddenly feeling unsure.

("You and... wait, you and Jane? Really?" Korsak asked).

"Not exactly..." Frost said slowly, smiling.

"Not at all!" Frankie practically guffawed.

("Yes. Last night." Maura squeaked when Korsak hugged her tightly).

"So... what were you talking about?"

("I _knew _it! Oh, I'm gonna be collecting some money today... oh, congratulations, of course. So, did you...?")

"Bones," Frankie said, not even bothering to conceal a smile.

"Say what now?"

(Maura blushed. "We kissed. That's all.").

"Bones? The TV show?"

"There's a TV show called '_Bones_'?"

("Was it...?")

"It's a crime show, finding out how people died and stuff. An anthropologist and..."

"Wait, you don't get enough of that stuff in your actual _job?_ You have to watch a TV show about it?"

"It's interesting!" Frankie this time, speaking up and looking offended.

"Factually incorrect, but interesting," Frost added.

("It was..." Maura bit her lip, "perfect.").

"It's a _crime_ show, you are _police..._ never mind. So what were you talking about?"

"Booth and Brennan kissed."

Jane gaped. "You were talking about a _TV show kiss?_"

"_Yes_. But you totally just outed yourself!" Frankie started laughing as Jane shot him her very worst Glare, but he just laughed harder.

Frost began to sing, "K-I-S-S-I-N-G," under his breath.

Korsak hugged Maura again.

Maura grinned at Jane happily.

Jane felt like she was losing her mind.

"Don't tell Ma!"

"Uh..." Maura suddenly looked bashful, pulling away from Korsak. "She... kind of already knows. I mean, I'm not absolutely _certain_ she knows, but all evidence appears to point to that conclusion and..."

Jane glared. Maura bit her lip.

_Hey, not fair. I want to bite..._

_SHUT UP BRAIN._

"ShewastheoneItalkedtobeforeIkissedyoulastnight."

"Oh my God, you guys finally kissed?" Frankie asked.

("Wait, how did you two know about this?" Korsak said, looking between Frost and Frankie.

"She came to me for advice," they answered, almost simultaneously. All three men suddenly frowned at each other.

"I thought she trusted _me_ most of all..." Korsak mumbled.

"I'm her _brother_, you'd think she'd come to me _first_..." Frankie grumbled.

"She said she felt weird talking to the others but she did anyway..." Frost bumbled.)

Jane sighed. "Yes." She turned to Maura. "If you talked to her _before_ you kissed me, what makes you so sure that she knows that you _did _kiss me?"

("Wait, _Maura_ was the one who kissed _you?_ Sissy." Frankie swore when Jane swatted him without even looking).

"I don't know for sure! But... I saw her in the cafe. She raised her eyebrows in a questioning manner, and I nodded in response. If, as I assume, the reason she raised her eyebrows is the reason I am thinking of (which I can't think of any other thing it _could_ be), the fact that I nodded in response surely gave her the answer."

Jane stared at her for a long moment before rolling her eyes back in her head and falling dramatically back into a chair, running her fingers through her hair. "Ma knows. Awesome."

"If it helps, she seemed very supportive."

"She always wanted a doctor in the family!" Frankie piped up.

Jane sat up. "You three! Out!"

"But...!" Korsak and Frost began, but Jane waved an authoritative finger towards the door.

"OUT."

Mumbling under their breaths and shuffling their feet, the three men filed out the door, and with a final grin, Frankie shut the door behind him. Jane threw a nearby pen at the closed door and groaned once more, flinging her head back.

Maura cleared her throat.

Jane lifted her head.

_Guh. Buh. Tuh._

"Hi, Jane."

_Okay, you know what? Who _really_ cares that Frost, Frankie and Korsak know? I mean, _really_._

_SO not important._

Maura was standing against the wall, arms behind her back. The position made her breasts pop out a little bit more, and the way she tilted her head down to the ground, looking up at Jane through her eyelashes... Jane gulped.

The dress she was wearing certainly helped too. A bright blue dress by Michael Kors.

God, Jane couldn't even _believe _that she knew that.

Anyway, it fit her really well, and made her boobs...

_Oh right. Probably should reply now._

"Hi."

Maura pushed off the wall, sauntering slowly over to Jane. Seriously, it was like a two foot walk. How the _hell_ was Maura doing it so slowly and... seductively?

"Are you _really_ upset?"

Jane looked up at Maura. "I don't want them gossiping about us."

"They've probably been gossiping for a while."

"I didn't know about it then though."

"You've known about it for a couple of weeks."

"But it wasn't real then."

Maura had finally reached Jane's side, pressing up against her closely. "And to think, now it _is_ real. They have something to gossip _about._"

Jane gulped.

Maura was going to kill her.

_Seriously. Death by attractiveness. That's what my death certificate will say._

Jane tilted her head up and waited.

Maura kissed her cheek.

_Or death by frustration. You know, whatever._

"See you later, Jane."

Jane growled.

_R&IR&IR&I_

"Hi Ma," Jane said, walking into the cafe and slumping down on one of the chairs.

Angela came up and wrapped her arms around her.

"Ma! What the hell?" Jane batted Angela's arms away, ducking when it became clear that Angela was going in for the hug again.

"I'm just so happy!" Angela practically wailed and Jane rolled her eyes, finally letting her mother slump onto her shoulder. She patted her back awkwardly, aware of the curious looks from the other officers and workers in the station. Amazingly enough, they all seemed to lose interest (mostly) when presented with Jane's Glare of Death and Destruction and Mayhem.

Wow, her names for her glares were getting completely ridiculous.

_Shut up, brain._

"That's nice, Ma."

Angela pulled back. "You did... didn't you? I mean, I'm sure that's what Maura meant when she nodded at me this morning, but maybe she meant she was going to talk to me later... but she hasn't been in here to talk to me, so surely that means that it did happen, and..."

Jane interrupted, suddenly fearful that her mother was going to have a stroke if she didn't calm the hell down. "_What_ happened?"

Angela lowered her voice dramatically. "You _kissed_ her."

Jane squirmed on her seat. "Well... y... I mean, technically there was kis... yeah, but..."

"She kissed you?" Still an overly dramatic whisper. Jane rolled her eyes again.

"I guess so."

"And?" Angela looked as high as a cat on catnip. Which, okay, Jane had never owned a cat but she heard that that was pretty damn hyper. And that was _exactly _how her mother was looking at this time.

Jane pulled back, looking at her suspiciously. "And what?"

"Are you... you know?" Jane was pretty sure her Ma's eyebrows were about to disappear into her hairline, the way she was raising them so high in such a suggestive manner.

"No, I don't _know_."

"_Together?_" Angela hissed.

Jane let out a breath. "I think so. We haven't really... I mean, we kind of... I don't know. Yes."

Angela really did wail this time, throwing her arms around Jane once more.

And, no matter how many Glares of Whatever Jane sent around the room, no one was looking away.

Slowly, she began to plot their deaths.

_You, over there, you can die of asphyxiation._

_You can be poisoned._

_You can be stabbed._

_You can be shot._

_You can be burned alive..._

Maura walked in.

_You can be kissed and snuggled to death..._

_Oh, for fuck's sake._

Angela grabbed Maura as soon as she got close enough and pulled her into the hug. With a surprised 'oof' Maura quickly acquiesced, wrapping her arms around both of them.

And... now people were stopping _outside_ the cafe to look at them.

_Awesome._

She tried to think of more death plots.

She couldn't.

_Stupid Maura and her stupid pretty smelling hair and her stupid dress and her stupid sexiness and her stupid lips and..._

_Man, I've got it bad._

END CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR

_The blue dress I described? That was the dress Maura was wearing in Season 4, Episode 4, Killer in High Heels... when she gets released from prison. Her body in that dress... well, to continue my train of thought would be rather inappropriate. Suffice to say: HOT._

_Anyways. A lot of dialogue this time. I don't even know with this chapter. Blaaah. Hope you guys liked it though. Let me know. Or even just leave a review to make me smile, because you all know you love me. :-P Even though my author's notes aren't as crazy this time? hehe. Next time, I promise :-P_

_Love to all! xoxo_


	26. Chapter 25

_Okay, may I just say how glad I am that you guys (the followers anyway) don't get updates every time I fix something in my chapter and replace it? I mean, unless you do, in which case I sincerely apologize... because honestly, I change and update things ALL. THE. TIME. Especially when I get a review or a PM telling me how I can improve. Then my little brain goes on overdrive and I'm reading and rereading and adapting and saving and replacing and then starting the whole process over again, a bare minimum of 5 times per chapter. Like, seriously. It's ridiculous. I have issues. :-P_

_PALADIN... can you please try again to send me an email address? Or even sign up for an account here, so I can reply to you properly? I'm finding it increasingly difficult to truncate my responses to you so that all the other readers are not inundated with 10,000 word author notes. If you choose to send your email, put spaces between everything (even things like hot mail, g mail, etc), and instead of using full stops, write 'dot'... that might work. Please? :-)_

_Now... to the guest reviewers (reviewer? I wonder if it is the same person?) who decided to have a dig at me about my authors notes: I was not aware that they affected the quality of the story, being that they are at the_ _beginning and end of each chapter... not randomly placed in the middle_._ Do you have some kind of condition that forbids you from simply, oh, I dunno, **NOT FUCKING READING THEM? **Simply skip the italicised sections and head to the LONGEST part of the chapter... THE ACTUAL STORY. And, since you seem to have such an issue, feel free to simply, in the words of my country, BUGGER OFF MATE. :-)_

_And there's more I could say on that but I have already given the troll/s too much attention so HI everyone else! :-D Hope you're all well! xo Apologies for the foul language... I am rather short tempered lately :-/_

_Onto the chapter!_

*****CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE*****

"Are you ready?"

Jane's hands froze on the keyboard and she slowly turned around to look at whoever was talking to her.

_Oh God, really? _Whoever _is talking to you_? _Who else will be talking to you? Madonna? Jim _fucking_ Carrey?_

"Hi Maura."

Maura smiled brightly, and Jane felt a wave of guilt wash over her. The previous night at the hotel had been somewhat awkward... Jane has ensured that she was working late, and Maura had been waiting up for her when she finally got up to the room. Pleading exhaustion, Jane avoided Maura's questioning eyes and reaching hands, making her way to the bathroom and having the quickest shower in the history of showers (okay, so it was about 20 minutes long... look, Jane was fairly certain that was _still_ a record when it came to those amazing Twocop Elevation showers things), took a nose dive into the bed, and proceeded to immediately 'fall asleep' (read: faking like a big faking faker). When Maura came in and called Jane's name quietly, she even let out a fake snore and snuffle, but let Maura wrap her up in her little cocoon happily.

It wasn't that Jane was a coward, it was...

Okay, so she was a coward.

It was just... the way that she had so inelegantly and accidentally 'outed' them to Korsak, Frost and Frankie made her feel a little awkward. She didn't know why, precisely... apparently _everyone_ thought they were heading this way for _ages_... but she still did.

It was weird though, wasn't it? Going from BFF's to LLBFF's for _real._ It wasn't just pretending, it wasn't just hugging in front of Giovanni so he'd leave Maura alone, it was... it was... weird.

And wonderful.

But weird.

So the next morning when Jane had woken (before Maura... because no matter what Maura says, she is _not_ a morning person... that is, unless morning people traditionally like to sleep in and are grouchy if woken), all wrapped up in a little warm haven... Jane decided that she needed to go for a run. Right _then_. And, you know, go to work straight afterwards, because _why the hell not._

And so this moment, when Maura was saying 'are you ready?'? This was the first time Jane had seen Maura. _All day._ And boy, didn't _that_ feel weird.

_Weirder than you freaking out about it being weird?_

_That didn't even make sense... shut up brain._

"Hi Maura," Jane repeated herself stupidly, letting her gaze travel down Maura's body. Teal dress today... that was nice.

_Same dress she wore to my highschool reunion and I touched her boobs and..._

_SHUT UP, BRAIN._

"Pretty."

_Okay, maybe you can work, brain. You know, by NOT LETTING ME SAY STUPID THINGS. Filter, Jane, FILTER._

Maura looked vaguely surprised, smoothing down the front of the dress. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." Jane stared at the tempting curve of Maura's belly for a minute before shaking herself and looking up...

...into Maura's very amused face.

_Awesome._

"Uh, what did you want? What did you say?"

"I asked if you were ready."

Jane looked around. Everyone immediately pretended to be not at all interested in what they were saying.

Frost was typing. His screen was blank.

Korsak was reading a book. Upside down.

Frankie was pretending to tie his shoelace. He didn't even _have_ shoelaces that day.

Jane rolled her eyes. "Wait. Ready for what?"

"For going shopping with me!"

Jane gaped. "I am _not_ going shopping with you!"

Instantly, the smile dropped from Maura's face.

_Uh oh._

"But... you _said_ you would."

"No, I didn't. I _hate_ shopping."

Maura swallowed hard.

_FIX IT. FIX IT NOW._

"I... I was going to buy a new bed and furniture for the guest room, but..."

"Why do _you_ have to do that? I thought the insurance company would do it?"

_THAT IS NOT FIXING IT, JANE._

Maura bit her lip. "Well, they were going to, but I rang them up and told them that my... my... _friend_..." (Jane was fairly certain she was not imagining the added emphasis on 'friend'), "had offered to come shopping with me, and I was really looking forward to it. So they said that they will cover the cost if I just forward them the receipts." She shook her head, looking down at the floor sadly. "But never mind, I'm sure I can go by myself."

"I don't remember saying that I would go with you."

_Wow, really? And you tell _me_ to shut up._

Maura shrugged, her lips trembling slightly. "You did. But it's fine. I'll... um... I'll see you later." She slowly began to make her way out of the bullpen.

"Wait!" Jane called out, and Maura turned back around.

Meanwhile, Frost's typing had slowed waaay down (unless he was now only capable of typing five words per minute), Korsak's book had lowered so his eyes peered over the top, and Frankie just stared, poking his foot at random intervals. Jane glowered at each of them in turn.

"Wh... when did I say I would go?"

Maura perked up ever so slightly. "After I spoke to the insurance company. You said you liked that bed, and I replied that I did too, and my tearducts began to form moisture and you appeared to panic."

_Oh. Well, yeah, that makes sense._

_But wait, that's not fair. You can't take something I said when you looked upset and turn it into gospel truth. I'd do _anything_ to make you smile again._

Aaand apparently she had waited a beat too long to reply, because now Maura's lip looked suspiciously trembly again.

_Oh God, fix it, fix it. Tell her you'll go shopping every single day from now until forever. Tell her you'll eat kale every single day. Tell her you'll wear a dress. AND heels. FIX IT FOR GOD'S SAKE._

"Okay."

"Okay?" Maura looked up hopefully.

"Okay. I don't remember us saying we'd do it _today_, but a promise is a promise. Let's go."

Maura beamed.

_You are so whipped, Rizzoli._

_R&IR&IR&I_

"Where exactly are we _going?_" Jane peered out the window at the unfamiliar neighbourhood, checking her watch nervously. Maura glanced over at her from the driver's seat.

"Why? Is there somewhere you need to be?"

Jane rolled her eyes. "Uh, gee, let me think. Oh, I know! _Work?_"

Maura simply smiled. "We have the afternoon off."

Jane blinked. "We do?"

"Well, I didn't need to ask anyone if I could have it off... I'm the boss. But I asked Cavanaugh if you could have it off so we could buy a bed, and he said yes."

_If that's not the _gayest_ thing I have ever heard... and apparently, we've just been effectively outed to another person. Awesome._

Strangely enough, Jane found she didn't actually mind all that much. He'd probably already found out through the grapevine anyway.

Still, for appearance's sake...

Jane slumped down in her chair, crossing her arms across her chest. Maura just glanced over again, smiling fondly.

"Here we are!"

Jane glanced out the window. 'Lizzie's Furniture Store', the sign out the front exclaimed proudly. Jane got out of the car... and came face to face with a Marilyn Monroe statue, perpetually holding down its white, stone dress.

"Whoa, what the fuck?"

"It's an exotic furniture store!" Maura said brightly.

"No shit," Jane muttered, turning to follow Maura, but periodically glaring at the statue suspiciously. Seriously, why the hell would someone _buy_ that?

"Hello! How may I help you! My, don't you both look lovely today!"

Jane turned her suspicious stare onto the shopkeeper, who, either to her credit or her discredit (depending on her level of intelligence), did not lose even a fraction of her mile wide smile.

Maura smiled back at the woman. "Hello! My name is Maura! This is Jane! We're looking for a bed!"

"Oh, how delightful! A bed! What a wonderful thing!" The salewoman twittered out a laugh, as though hearing a request for a bed was just the most _darling_ thing she could ever think of. Jane raised both eyebrows at her.

"Yes! Unfortunately the old one got destroyed when a pipe burst!"

Jane stared at Maura. What the fuck? Was this over exuberance _contagious_ or something?

"Oh, what a shame! Pesky pipes!" Both saleswoman and Maura laughed happily, as though it was simply the funniest joke they had ever heard. Jane turned around and looked at the door suspiciously. Had she entered some kind of twilight zone?

"Well, here are our bed selections! Will you need any further assistance!"

"No, thank you, but your help has been greatly appreciated!"

"Okay! Call me if you need anything!"

_Seriously. What. The. Fuck._

"Well, _she_ was annoying."

_And _there's_ the Maura I know and love._

"Oh thank God. I was tempted to take your temperature for a second there."

Maura smiled. "Why?"

Jane walked over to the nearest bed and sat down. "You're normally happy and bubbly, but not _certifiably_ so. I thought you _must_ be running a fever."

Maura smiled, lowering her chin seductively. "And what would you do if I were? Would you look after me?"

Jane gulped, her mouth suddenly dry. "Uh... of... of course."

Maura began heading over to the bed, straight for Jane. Jane gulped again, but at the last possible second, Maura swerved and twisted, falling back on the bed next to Jane. She screwed up her face.

"Yeah, it's not great, is it?"

"No. Most certainly not. Let's move on."

Maura leapt up with surprising dexterity considering the tightness of the dress she was wearing, heading over to the next bed, and Jane sighed, watching her ass sway.

_God, give me strength..._

_R&IR&IR&I_

"I like this one."

"Hmm."

Maura lifted herself up on one elbow. "Do you like this one?"

"Hmm."

"That's not an answer, Jane."

Jane rolled her eyes. "It's fine."

"You said that about the last six beds! I want to know which one you _prefer!_"

"I didn't say it about _that_ one." Jane pointed to the bed in question, one which made bed number one seem like Heaven in comparison. Maura frowned. Jane threw her hands up. "Look, I don't know. It's _your_ bed, going into _your_ house. Isn't it _your_ choice?"

Maura flushed, running her hand along the top of the mattress, avoiding eye contact. Jane propped herself up on one elbow too, looking at her. "Maura? What is it?"

Maura bit her lip. "Nothing."

"Hives." Jane pointed. Maura swatted her hand away.

"I just... I was thinking about having the bed I buy today... betheoneIputintomyownbedroom."

Jane took a second to process the words. "Okay. And so...?"

Maura looked up shyly. "I wanted it to be our bed."

"_Our_ bed? As in... _yours and mine_?"

Maura nodded, moving infinitesimally closer. "I wanted... I wanted you to help pick it, because..." she lowered her eyes once more, seeking out Jane's hand on the bed between them, twining their fingers together, "I want it to be the bed I make love to you in for the first time."

Jane's brain stopped. When it started working again...

"Are you... are you asking me to move in with you?"

_Yup, cause _that's_ the part you should be focused on. Good job. Weirdo._

"If you want to?"

Jane licked her lips, and watched as Maura's gaze flicked downwards at the movement. Maura licked her own lips in response, and Jane surged forward, amazed by her own boldness, surprised at her courage, simply astonished at her non-cowardice and...

"So! How are we going!"

Right. Well. A certain saleswoman was getting murdered today.

END CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE

_Umm... I haven't actually read through this chapter yet. So... let me know if there are any errors please? Stupid little typos or continuity errors, etc? Thanks!_

_CAN WE GET OVER 500 REVIEWS? :-D :-D The 500th reviewer can... umm... give me a prompt for this story? Where's they'd like to see it go next? Something random they'd like squeezed in? As long as it's not completely ridiculous, I'll try to make it happen. :-) LET'S DO IT, PEOPLE. 500! Okay, screw it, even if you're not the 500th reviewer, let me know ideas for this story. 500th reviewer can get virtual chocolate instead :-D_

_May I also say how humbled I am that I HAVE nearly 500 reviews? I love you guys! I hope you continue to enjoy this story. xo_

_Five day week coming up this week. Sigh. Two short weeks due to public holidays have spoilt me. Ah well._

_Love to all (most)! xo_


	27. Chapter 26

_Over 510 reviews, you guys are awesome! Also I had many requests for jealousy... hmm_

_Author's notes at bottom of page__. :-)_

*****CHAPTER TWENTY SIX*****

_Three_ whole days.

Three _whole_ days.

Three whole _days._

_Three whole days._

Yep, no matter how Jane said it, it didn't sound any better. Three days. Three days without kissing, with minimal touching... (okay, so they still had the whole 'cocoon' thing going on each night, but unconscious touching _totally_ doesn't count)... honestly, it was enough to drive Jane quite insane.

Vaguely she wondered if the super perky saleswoman from the furniture store had some odd, far reaching cock-blocking powers.

Except Jane didn't have a... you know. One of those.

_Maybe it should be pussy blocking?_

_Fuzzy taco blocking?_

_Bearded clam blocking?_

She smirked.

_Well, that's great, but you know you have bigger things to think about._

Right. Like... _why_ Maura wasn't kissing her.

_You could kiss her, you know._

_Shut up, brain._

Honestly, after the visit to the furniture stores the other day (she had thought she was getting off easy with Lizzie's Furniture store, but no, apparently they_ also_ had to visit 5 other furniture places. Fortunately, for the rest of the stores, overly enthusiastic, clam blocking salespeople were _not_ included), Jane had thought... well, she wasn't sure what she thought. But there had been a spark of excitement curling in her belly; a spark that had the power to ignite into an all-consuming blaze if given the chance. Maura, however, was thoroughly consumed in her accessory buying adventures (accessories being things like bedside tables, lamps, chests of drawers, as well as about a bazillion other little things that Jane didn't think were strictly necessary). At the end of the shopping trip, Jane had tallied their final purchases.

"4 bedside tables? Really? Why do you... we... you... need 4?"

"_We_ need 4, because there has to be 2 for the guest room, and 2 for our room."

Jane frowned. "You already _have_ bedside tables in y... our... room," (and boy, didn't _that_ feel weird to say).

Maura shook her head. "Oh Jane. They will _not_ match the bed we picked out. No, they simply had to be replaced."

"The insurance company won't pay for all of this, you know."

"Of course not. I'm paying for the additional items."

Maura had turned the car's CD player on at that point, officially rendering Jane mute.

Well, actually, no, the _discussion_ had rendered Jane mute, to be perfectly honest.

Anyway, when they got back to the hotel, Maura had been very busy sorting through her receipts, faxing the ones she needed sent to the insurance company and making copies of the rest for her files. Jane had fallen asleep before she'd finished. The next day, Maura was up before Jane - a strange occurrence in itself - and had already gone to work by the time Jane herself got up. When Maura got home that night, she geeked out over some weird volcano documentary on TV (Jane probably would have been more interested if they had shown more images of eruptions... she _really_ didn't care about the kinds of rocks surrounding volcanoes and what they all signified), and didn't come to bed until it finished. Yet again, Jane had already fallen asleep by the time that had come around.

As for yesterday... well, that was when things got really strange. Maura had practically danced out of Jane's way every time they came close to touching, went on a run without her, and had even left for work without her goodbye hug... which was a practice that had started several weeks ago and one that, in its absence, Jane found she sorely missed. When asked if everything was okay, Maura had replied brightly that it was, so Jane wasn't quite sure what to think. Maura was honest to the point of ridiculousness, after all.

Jane sighed. She wasn't on call that day – she had been told to have the day off completely because she had too much leave built up – and now her brain was working overtime. She rather thought that she'd prefer being at work, vacation hours be damned.

Anyway, maybe she'd use them to go on a holiday sometime soon with Maura.

_If Maura likes that idea... if she even really likes _me...

_Aaaand you have officially turned back into a teenager. Congratulations!_

Jane groaned, grabbing a cushion and pressing it into her face, letting out a frustrated scream. A sound of knocking cut the scream off mid way, and Jane lowered the cushion again, staring questioningly at the door. The knock came again.

Jane walked over to the door, opened it and...

"Hello Janie. Since you haven't _invited_ me over yet, I thought I'd just come and see the place you're staying at. Oh, isn't it lovely?"

Jane stood staring open mouthed at the empty doorway, her mother having pushed her way inside as soon as the door had opened.

"Ma?"

Angela turned around. "Yes?"

"What... what... how...?"

Angela raised an eyebrow.

"How did you even know where we were staying?"

"Maura told me." Angela pushed open the door to the bathroom, gazing in open mouthed wonder towards the shower and bath.

Jane wondered if she could possibly coerce her mother to step inside so that she, Jane, could 'accidentally' lean against the button outside the shower.

_Hmm, probably not._

"What are you _doing_ here?"

"I just wanted to visit my favourite daughter." Angela walked forward, apparently done with her inspection of the shower, and pressed two quick kisses (with 'mwah' sound effects) to Jane's cheek. Jane rolled her eyes.

"I'm your only daughter, Ma."

"Yeah, well..." Angela walked past Jane, peeked into the bedroom and let out a small "Ooh," of surprise and approval at the extravagant bed. The bed which Maura had, yet again in her slightly obsessive ways, made up that morning and which, yet again, the hotel staff had diligently remade an hour or so later. Jane had asked her why she did it the first morning they had been in the hotel, and the look of horror on Maura's face had almost been her undoing. Apparently, even with knowing the responsibilities of the staff, she could not abide the thought of leaving the room in a mess.

Realizing she had gotten distracted, Jane whirled around to see her mother in the living room, picking up the remote and turning the TV on. "What are you doing?"

Angela pushed a few buttons, seemingly at random, then, "Oh, Bill O'Reilly." Her eyes lit up as she stared at the screen.

Jane rolled her eyes. Seriously, 5 bazillion channels and her mother managed to find the _one_ that Bill O-freaking-Reilly is on? Jane snatched the remote and turned the TV off.

"Why. Are. You. Here?"

Angela frowned at Jane. "I can't come visit my daughter?"

"Not without a good reason." Jane crossed her arms across her chest, but rolled her eyes when her mother's look turned to hurt. "Oh my God... okay, _yes_, of course you can come visit. But why are you here _today_?"

Angela sat down on the couch. Reluctantly, Jane sat down in the armchair near her. "How's everything going with Maura?"

_And there it is._

"Oh my God, really, Ma? I'm not discussing this with you!" Jane stood up.

Angela leapt up, following Jane as she stomped into the kitchen area. "What? I can't take an interest in my daughter's personal life?"

Jane opened the fridge and pulled out an apple. Slamming it shut, she then opened several drawers until she found a peeler. "No. Hence it being called a _personal_ life. It means that it's supposed to _be_ personal_._"

Angela shooed that concept away with a wave of the hand. "Nonsense, I'm your mother. You can trust me."

Jane frowned, beginning to peel the fruit in quick, bad tempered strokes. "It's not that I don't... why am I even discussing this?"

Angela sat down at the kitchen table. "So? How's it going?"

_God give me strength..._

"Fine." Jane put down the peeler, picked up the knife.

"Fine?"

"Fine." She sliced the apple in half, then quarters.

Angela reached out and casually started stroking one of the petals of the fresh flowers that adorned the table. "So... she hasn't been acting differently the last couple of days?"

Jane froze, stabbed a piece of apple with the knife waiting nearby, and pointed it at her mother. "What did you say to her?"

"Nothing."

"Ma," Jane said threateningly, but Angela just continued to smile innocently. Slowly, Jane lowered the knife.

"She asked me to move in with her."

"Oh good. I don't have to cancel the movers then."

Jane's jaw dropped. "Movers? You organised... _Ma!"_

"What?" Angela reached over and snagged a piece of freshly cut apple off the cutting board.

"You didn't even... how did you...?"

Angela blinked and smiled. Jane rolled her eyes towards the ceiling in frustration. "Hey!" She glanced down just in time to see her mother snatch another piece of apple. "My apple," she grunted, pulling the rest of the pieces closer to her body. "So, what did you say to her?"

Angela brought a piece of apple to her mouth but lowered it thoughtfully without taking a bite. "When do you move back to Maura's place? You've been here... what, four nights now?"

_For the love of... really? What are you hiding, woman?_

"Five," Jane answered reluctantly. "And I think we move back tomorrow."

"Oh," Angela chewed thoughtfully on one of her stolen pieces of fruit.

"What did you say to Maura?"

"So you'll be... you know... tomorrow?"

Jane regarded her mother suspiciously. "What is 'you know'?"

Angela lowered her voice in a conspiratorial manner. "Consummating your relationship."

Jane started choking on saliva. "Wh... h... ugh..."

_Not if I die first, I won't be!_

Finally, "How do you know we haven't done it already? God, why am I talking to you about this?"

"Because you're still grumpy," Angela replied matter of factly. "And also, 'done it'?" She raised an eyebrow, lips curving up in amusement.

_Kill me now._

"Had sex," Jane rectified grumpily, then, "And I'm not grumpy!"

"Yes, you are." Angela popped the piece of apple into her mouth, reached over and snagged another piece. "How do two women have sex anyway?"

_Nope. Nope nope nope nope nope. That's one whole big fat NOPE right there._

Apparently, Jane's mouth had a mind of its own though, "Haven't you and Pop ever..."

_Oh God, SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP._

She slapped a hand over her mouth, then, when she felt she could trust it again, lowered it, "You know what, don't answer that. You can go now." She walked over to the front door, holding it open.

"Why? You have the day off, don't you? I can stay for a bit longer."

"I have plans."

Angela stood up, reaching over the bench top again before slowly walking to the door. "What plans?"

_Think, Jane, think!_

"I have to visit Bass and Jo Friday," she replied finally, a note of triumph in her voice. Angela surveyed her sceptically.

"Really?"

Jane frowned. "Yes, _really_. They will get fretful without me visiting them."

Angela shrugged. "I still maintain I could have looked after Jo for you."

Jane shuddered at the thought of her mini therapy sessions being in sight of her mother. "Yeah, and could you have handled her crying all day and night for Bass?"

Angela appeared to think about this, but finally acquiesced with a shrug. "Oh well. I'm going. Have fun tomorrow with Maura." She hugged Jane briefly then turned to walk down the hallway.

_Oh hell no. She did _not_ just say that._

Suddenly, "What did you say to Maura?"

Angela raised a hand without turning around.

"_What did you say to Maura?"_

"Love you, baby!" came Angela's reply.

_Oh hell no._

"Love you too, Ma," she muttered, shutting the door and heading back to the kitchen to get her apple.

Of which the core was the only thing left.

Jane growled.

_R&IR&IR&I_

"We're going back to Maura's tomorrow."

Bass and Jo looked up at her.

"But tomorrow's Saturday, and we're still probably not going to pick you guys up until Monday."

They cocked their heads to the left. Bass winked slowly.

"I'm having sex with Maura tomorrow."

Both creatures cocked their heads to the right.

Suddenly rambling, "But you know, it's not really _Maura's_ house, not anymore, it's going to be _our _house because she asked me to move in and I know I told you that on Tuesday and on Wednesday and on Thursday, but you guys are going to live together, isn't that great?"

Jo wagged her tail. Bass moved his head up and down slightly.

"But that means that _Maura and I_ will be living together, and sleeping in the same bed, and having sex because that's what couples do and we're a couple and we love each other, and I love her _so much_ but..." she stopped, out of breath, the words that were flowing out of her mouth suddenly permeating into her brain.

"I'm having sex with Maura tomorrow, guys."

She grinned, glancing down. Both animals looked somewhat traumatised.

"Sex. With Maura."

She laughed.

Bass and Jo hastened to a far corner of the room.

_Sex with Maura._

_Fuck yeah._

END CHAPTER TWENTY SIX

_Next up, Angela's chat with Maura... at least one more chapter till the awkward/awful/awesome sex scene, sorry! :-P Also I have not proofread this chapter, so let me know of any and all errors so I can fix them please._

_**Due to suggestions, I have decided to move my author's notes to the bottom of the page.** I apologize also for my forceful response__ to the guest reviewers who had nothing constructive to say. As a side note: I have had far more people say that they like the A/N's than not, so they will continue to be included. As to my vehement response to the reviews: I am in pain constantly. I am on Panadeine Forte, Nurofen and Endone every single day, just so I can cope with work (and even then I am not able to complete a full week)... so my tolerance is at exceptionally low levels. Basically, if you have nothing CONSTRUCTIVE __or __KIND to say, don't say anything. If you don't like my story, that's fine... you can't please everyone, and I know I'm nowhere near perfect. But if you can't give me suggestions as to how to improve, your review is useless and will be deleted. Likewise, if your review only talks about my A/N's and makes no mention of the story, it will be deleted. Negativity without constructive advice is a waste of my time and yours._

_Paladin: did not work, unless you are hinting it at me and I am much stupider than I thought I was LOL (or perhaps too doped up on pain meds :-P). Vonny had a good idea... if you are a member of Facebook, join the 'Rizzles - The Rizzoli and Isles Fan Page' group. I announce new chapters on there, and then I can message you! Of course, this idea only works if you are on FB. :-)_

_Anyways, moving on... OMG so you guys know how I mentioned a couple of chapters back that one of the babies in my room had chicken pox? Well I was talking to mum about when I had it, and I was like 'I was AWESOME, I didn't SCRATCH, it was GREAT...' and she said 'Katie. I had to tape oven mitts to your hands.' :-O So I was like 'but I didn't scratch.' and she just rolled her eyes. Honestly, some people. IT'S STILL A VICTORY. A forced victory... BUT A VICTORY NONETHELESS. :-P_

_Also, my shift key is being a pain in the bum. *glares at shift key* I probably should buy a new keyboard... yeah, maybe sometime soon. Maybe not until I spill a drink on it. Who knows? :-P And I need to buy new jammies. There is a hole in them that is steadily getting bigger and bigger and more and more unrepairable. NO JAMMIE PANTS, I WUV YOU. DON'T LEAVE ME. Ooh, but hello tummy. *pokes self in tummy through hole in pants*_

_Ahem._

_Now... no silly demands for reviews today. I love you all, whether you review or you don't. I want to make that quite clear. And I want to thank you all for reading my story.__ xoxo_


	28. Chapter 27

_Angela's conversation with Maura... of course, this chapter is from MAURA'S POV. :-)_

_Authors notes down the bottom :-)_

*****CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN*****

Well, she had done it. Maura had told Jane her intentions – that they would be making love sooner rather than later – and Jane had not run off. She had not run off, and she had even leaned in for a kiss of her own accord, which, considering her rather tremulous approach to the progressive change in their relationship, felt like a monumental step.

Of course, the exceptionally perky and somewhat irritating saleswoman had interrupted _that._ But never mind, Maura was nothing if not tenacious, particularly when it came to matters of the bedroom, and she would not be so easily swayed as to allow a _saleswoman_ to come between her and her plans. She would simply have to try again, she thought.

But then... she had spoken to Jane's mother.

Honestly, her chat with Angela had not even been intentional. The night she and Jane had chosen the bed (well, it had been mainly Maura's choice but she didn't mind... the majestic qualities of the hand carved bed head _far _outstripped the plain, factory built bed that Jane appeared to be leaning toward), she had been far too wound up at the thought of redecorating to contemplate going to bed. By the time she had sorted through the receipts from the afternoon's shopping adventures and, using the hotel room's machine, faxed them off to her insurance company, Jane was already sprawled in the middle of the bed. She was snoring comfortably, so Maura had simply joined her, wrapping them both up in the now familiar 'cocoon'.

The next morning, Maura woke up with a start, recalling some paperwork that had not yet been filled out in regards to their most recent 'Jane Doe' arrival down in the morgue - an extremely uncharacteristic oversight on Maura's behalf, but she was entirely blaming Jane and their changing relationship for her distraction – and despite her dislike of rising early, she extracted herself with some difficulty from Jane's tentacle like grip and rushed off to work.

However, before she could even push the elevator button to go down to the morgue...

"Maura!"

She turned around confusedly. "Angela?"

"Hello!" Angela came forward, wiping her hands on the apron she was already wearing. Maura frowned.

"What are you doing here?" Realizing how that could be taken, she hastened to continue, "It's so early... the cafe doesn't open yet, does it?"

"Oh no," said Angela, waving a hand as though shooing away a fly, "Stanley just likes me to come in early to get ready for the day."

"Is he... paying you for the extra time?"

"Uh..." Angela bit her lip and looked awkward, while Maura made a mental note to mention the unpaid labour to Jane at some point. She wasn't sure why, but while Angela was as fierce as a lion when it came to her children, she was not particularly confident in fighting her own battles. Meanwhile, Angela appeared determined to change the subject, "So how are things going with you and Jane?"

Maura shot her a sideways glance before looking around the almost deserted entryway. "Well..."

"Oh, come in, come in, where are my manners..." Angela bustled Maura towards the side door of the cafe, quickly unlocking it and following Maura inside, who peered about the darkened interior cautiously.

"Oh, it... looks so different in the dark," she said quietly, eying the shadowy corner that was packed full of stacked chairs and tables nervously. She knew it was a little silly, but her old childhood fear of the dark came back in unfamiliar dark spaces, so she checked her pocket casually for the can of mace spray she carried everywhere, relaxing when she found it.

"Yes, it was a little spooky at first when Stanley first asked me to start opening the cafe... now I'm used to it." Angela moved around behind the counter seemingly on auto pilot, before shaking her head and coming back out. Maura had pulled out a stool to sit on and Angela did likewise, sitting next to her. "So...?"

Maura huffed out a short laugh. "Um... good. Really good. We, uh..." she paused, tucking some hair behind her ear self consciously, "we went shopping yesterday. Picked out a bed and some new furniture for our room..."

"'Our' room?"

Maura flushed lightly. "I asked her to move in."

Angela clasped her hands together in delight, smiling widely.

"Don't tell her I told you though!"

Angela waved her hand in the air. "Of course not. So... she said yes?"

"Well..." Maura stopped and thought about it, "uh... no."

"No?"

"Not exactly?"

Angela tilted her chin down and looked at Maura sternly. "What does 'not exactly' mean?"

"Well, she didn't say yes. Or no. But she did lean in for a kiss!" she paused, considering, then added, "...that got interrupted. And later on when we were discussing our purchases, she used pronouns that were suggestive of a positive response!" a sigh, "...though she did seem to be struggling with the difference, alternating between 'yours' and 'ours' quite often..." Maura crossed her arms on the counter and leaned forward, lower lip poking out a little bit. "I... I don't..." she lifted her head and looked at Angela, "What was the question again?"

"How are things going with you and Jane?"

"Oh. Good." Maura let her head drop back down again. "I have paperwork to do."

Angela nodded, a smile playing about her lips that Maura pretended not to see. "I see. Well, go do it then... don't let me keep you."

"Okay." Maura didn't move.

Angela sighed.

Maura felt her lower lip poke out a little bit more.

"Okay, Maura." The stern voice made Maura look at Angela warily. "What exactly has happened between you two? To date, I mean."

Maura stared at her and briefly considered her options. There was no one else that Maura felt truly comfortable discussing this with, and she and Angela had always shared an exceptionally close bond... she probably – certainly – talked to Angela more than Jane did, in fact. Angela had also never betrayed Maura's trust, and even though this was her daughter they were talking about, she still had faith that Angela would keep her word. "We told each other we loved each other."

Angela started casually wiping the countertop with a sponge that had seemingly appeared from nowhere. Maura glanced at it and made a face. "Oh, sorry. Germs, I know," Angela said, stuffing the sponge back into the apron pocket it had apparently come from. "Yes, and...?"

"She told me my eyes were pretty and that I was a beautiful butterfly," Angela's eyebrows rose slightly at this, but Maura forged ahead, "I told her she was a beautiful butterfly too, and we cuddled as we slept... oh, and I kissed her on the cheek. Then... we kissed. Properly. And..."

"I'm assuming this is interspersed with periods of Jane running away?" Angela asked, with a knowing look on her face that seemed to indicate she already knew the answer.

Maura faltered. "Well..."

Angela rolled her eyes, and Maura was forcibly reminded of Jane. "Never mind. Keep going."

"Well, then Jane... inadvertently 'outed' us to Korsak, Frost and Frankie, and I tested her responses by approaching her in a seductive manner (her responses were positive by the way), and then... well, then we went furniture shopping."

"And last night?"

"Pardon?"

"What happened last night?"

"Oh!" Maura perked up. "Well, I needed to sort through my receipts to send to the insurance company so that they can refund me the appropriate amount for my purchases, and the hotel..."

Angela squeezed the bridge of her nose. "Between you and Jane."

"Oh." Maura bit her lip. "She was already asleep by the time I got to bed."

Angela sat up straight. "Oh, that's good!"

Maura frowned in confusion. "Good? That's good?"

"Yes," Angela beamed.

Maura felt more confused. "I don't understand."

Angela smiled patiently for a few minutes more, looking at Maura expectantly, as though waiting for her to come up with the answer by herself.

Maura, meanwhile, opened her mouth and shut it again just as quickly, feeling more puzzled by the minute.

Finally, Angela sighed. "Okay, so I told you that Jane is like me, correct?"

"Yes, at the same time you told me about your first love, Marco." Maura scratched her chin with her index finger, wondering where this was going.

"I told you that Jane wasn't brave?"

"Yes. But, you know, she _is _terribly brave... it's probably why she chose this occup..." Maura stopped abruptly when Angela raised a weary finger. "Right. Not brave. Sorry."

"Not when it comes to matters of the heart," Angela said with raised eyebrows, and, because it seemed like she was waiting for a reply...

"Yes. No. Right."

"Okay. So... when you... I mean, the..." Angela splayed her hands out as though hoping the correct words would fall from the sky, "when you... _you know_..." she raised her eyebrows suggestively, "do you want to be back at your own house?"

"You kno..." Maura repeated, confused. "Oh, you mean having sex? Yes. That's what I told Jane when we were picking a bed. I believe that the first time we engage in sexual intercourse should be somewhere that is special to us... not just a hotel room." She stopped, considering, "Although, it _is_ the location of our first kiss... and the first time we said 'I love you'," she tapped her fingers on her chin thoughtfully, "We will have to consider it as an anniversary location. Perhaps not for our first anniversary though... I've always wanted to take her to Paris..."

Angela blinked and squeezed the bridge of her nose again. "Okay, so you told Jane... okay. So, this is _especially_ important... _don't let her think too much._"

Maura tilted her head, her previous musings on anniversary locations trickling away as she tried to understand.

"I mean it, Maura. Make her wonder about you... make her curious, make her..." she shook her head, "a little bit needy?" Maura whipped her head back and regarded Angela cautiously. "No, not needy, just... if you keep her a bit confused..."

"Why would I do that? I have no wish to play games with Jane, Angela."

Angela took Maura's hands in her own and sighed heavily. "Jane is in love with you."

Maura felt flustered. "I... I know, I just..."

"No, Maura, she is _in love with you._ She has _never_, to my knowledge, felt this way before. And it will be scaring her. She will be over thinking everything."

"So... you want me to stop her from over thinking?"

"Yes." Angela sighed, patting Maura's hand fondly. "Or she will run to avoid getting herself hurt."

"Oh," said Maura. She thought she understood, but she wasn't sure she liked the idea. "You mean... keep her dangling on a wire?"

"On a string. And no, not exactly. Just... maintain her interest."

Maura tilted her head to the other side and opened and closed her mouth. Finally, "You mean... she'll panic if I'm too overly demonstrative?"

"Yes."

"But she _won't_ if I'm not?"

"Yes."

"...Okay, I think I unde..." There was a bang at the back door, and Maura broke off mid word, she and Angela both jumping. Angela immediately got up and started unstacking chairs and tables as quickly as possible, while Maura watched her, wide eyed.

"Oh God, Stanley's here and I haven't set up yet..." Maura watched her movements, somewhat taken aback by the sudden change.

"Do you want some help?" she asked, standing up awkwardly.

"No, no, I'll be fine... you've got work to do..." she bustled around, then suddenly turned to Maura, "I hope you know, Maura, how honoured I am to have you as a part of my family."

Maura smiled fondly but before she could reply, the door rattled once more and Stanley walked in. He yelled at Angela for letting in a customer early and Maura faltered, wondering if she should stay, but with a good natured wave, Angela sent her on her way. With only a little bit of guilt, Maura headed down to the morgue, thinking hard the whole time.

_R&IR&IR&I_

Really, all in all, it was pretty easy to avoid Jane that day. The volcano documentary that was on that night had been something that Maura had been looking forward to for a couple of days now, so it hadn't made her break out in hives to say that she wanted to watch it, and, as she predicted, Jane had shown no interest in it once she realized that there were very little in the way of eruptions shown. By the time it had finished and Maura was ready for bed, Jane was again already snoring lightly... this was something Maura had been slightly concerned about the first time she heard it. In fact, she had stayed awake the first night just to ensure that the snoring did not appear to affect Jane's oxygen intake (and if she also wanted to look at Jane a bit more... well, that was no one's business but her own).

The third day, however, had been a little tricky. Frustrated by this point, Jane had even begun trying to initiate contact, and it was increasingly difficult for Maura to heed Angela's advice and keep Jane _wanting_ a little bit more. She could see that it was working though... Jane wasn't panicking at all anymore, she was simply wanting _more_... which, of course, was precisely what Maura was aiming for.

And, even though she felt a little bit guilty, it wasn't quite enough to cause any kind of reaction when Jane asked if everything was okay, so that was fantastic.

Maura stopped jogging and fished her drink bottle out of its holder at her waist, taking a big gulp as she took in her surroundings. It was dusk... after a full day of work, Maura had found herself full of energy and decided that, although she had already had a run that morning, another one wouldn't hurt. It would also serve the dual purpose of keeping her away from Jane a little bit longer. Apparently, though, her subconscious thought she had somewhere to be, because the place she had stopped was right outside the Pet Lodge where Bass and Jo were. With a quick glance at her watch, Maura headed down the pathway, and pushed open the door.

"Dr Isles! Hello!" Joanna said with surprise. "I wasn't expecting you!"

"Hello Joanna," Maura smiled, still panting ever so slightly. "I know it's only ten minutes till you close up for the night, but I was wondering if I could quickly see Bass and Jo?"

"Of course..." Joanna quickly led Maura down to the room that she had already come to think of as 'their room', and, after accepting Maura's thanks, left her alone. Maura opened the door.

Bass and Jo immediately looked up at her, somewhat suspiciously she thought, but she didn't think on it too hard, simply moved into the room and sat down on the chair.

"Jane's moving in," she told them happily.

Bass nodded his head up and down... a thoroughly exuberant move on his behalf. Jo wagged her tail excitedly.

Maura looked about the room as though searching for eavesdroppers, then leaned closer. "I'm going to have sex with Jane tomorrow!" she whispered excitedly.

Bass and Jo looked at each other, then turned their backs.

"What? Jo? Bass! I... really?"

_R&IR&IR&I_

"Thanks Joanna, I'll see you later!"

Joanna came bustling out from behind the counter quickly. "Dr Isles, before you go... I just wanted to ask you something. Your detective friend was here earlier today..."

"Jane," Maura said, and Joanna nodded.

"Yes... um. She visited the Bass and Jo Friday, and when she left, they seemed a bit... unsettled. Very happy, but... unsettled."

Maura reached out and patted her hand. "Oh, it's okay. Based on our current life happenings, I can make an informed hypothesis that Jane just talking to them about our changing relationship."

"Your changing...?"

"Yes. Jane and I are easing our way into becoming romantically involved," Maura beamed. "She probably informed them that we are more than likely going to be engaging in sexual intercourse tomorrow, thus them seeming to be unsettled."

Joanna gaped. "O...oh."

"If that's all, I probably should be going. I do have a lot of preparations in anticipation of tomorrow," Maura smiled at Joanna expectantly, thinking of the clothes she had to pack away.

"Prep... r-right. Good seeing you again... Dr Isles."

As Maura walked down the path, Joanna shook her head.

_What just happened?_

END CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN

_To guest reviewer Bob: Thank you for your review defending me, I do appreciate it. However, I have decided to delete it as I have no wish to start a war in my review section. I hope you continue to enjoy the story._

_Paladin: firstly you will need to sign in to your account, then click on my author name. Up the top, under the larger 'tika12001' and the line that says 'hide bio', on the left hand side you will see a small envelope with 'PM' next to it. Click that, and there you go. :-) This will only work if you are signed in, which you weren't when you left your reviews... otherwise I could have simply replied and you needn't have worried. :-) And yes, I still highly appreciate your feedback, so thank you._

_Oh, and I totally forgot in my last A/N to give credit to Zarosguth, who made me laugh loudly and for an embarrassingly long time (I have the sense of humour of an 8 year old apparently lol) over his 'clamblock' review... I loved it so much I HAD to add it in to the last chapter. So thank you! :-P_

_Now, for those of you wondering the fate of my jammie pants... *dramatically wipes tear from cheek*... I have decided to put them out of their holey misery. Goodbye dear jammie pants... I have loved you, and you have served me well... R.I.P. :-P Also, it's almost winter... aka, warm and snuggly jammies time! :-D_

_Couldn't work much this week cause of owwie-ness... but got a bonus in my pay! YAAAY! I have savings again! :-D :-P Celebrate with me! Just randomly... haha_

_Hope you continue to enjoy this story. Rizzles loving next, I think! *gulp* lol Much love to all xoxo_


	29. Chapter 28

_I just wanted to say a huge thank you to everyone for continuing to read my story. I have to agree with the anonymous reviewer who felt it was not my best work... I really don't feel like it is, either... but reading all your reviews have cheered me up no end during my pain struggles, so I just wanted to say _**_THANK YOU. _**_You guys are awesome._

_Apologies for the delay with posting this one! I had a good couple of days Monday, Tuesday so I was like YES, I can make it through a whole week of work but then Wednesday happened, and Thursday, and yeah, not so much. So I had to call in sick for Friday and then have this huge long conversation with my boss about how I'm coping, am I happy, do I really want to be there, etc, which was BLAH because of course I do, I'm just in PAIN. She's very understanding though and, long story short, due to doctors recommendation, I have cut back to four days a week temporarily. GAH. *trails off into incoherent mumbling/ranting*_

_ANYWAY, I have taken on a few suggestions for the last chapter and improved things a bit (hopefully), so, while it hasn't changed too much, feel free to go back and have a bit of a squiz :-)_

_Also, I now feel bad for saying that there would be Rizzles in this chapter. Next chapter though. And this time I mean it!_

_Onto the chapter!_

*****CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT*****

_J: Whre r u?_

_M: I decided to go for a run after work. Why do you ask?_

_J: nite? alone? isnt it bit drk?_

_M: Yes, it is night time, yes, I am alone, and yes, seeing as how it is traditionally dark at night time, it is also dark tonight. Please use correct spelling and grammar!_

_J: Fine. Whatever. You know that that was like three messages long to answer one question._

_M: Three questions and oh it was not. It was 168 characters; text messages allow 180 characters._

_J: Only you would use a ; in a text message. I'm bored._

_M: Wow, really? I couldn't tell._

_J: ... that was sarcasm._

_M: What clued you in?_

_J: I told you not to use sarcasm! It's weird._

_J: Maura?_

_J: Maura!_

_J: I'm bored!_

_M: Watch TV_

_J: I am._

_M: What are you watching?_

_J: ... nothing._

_M: You're watching The Discovery Channel, aren't you?_

_J: ... I couldn't find the remote! Or maybe I was too lazy to change the channel..._

_M: Of course._

_J: ...I'm bored._

_M: I will be home in approximately 35 minutes. Go to bed. It's late._

Jane glared at her phone. _Go to bed_, really? What did Maura take her for? Some old geezer who went to bed at... Jane stared around the room until she found a clock. 9:00pm! Really? She could stay up later than that. Much later. In fact... her thought wave trailed off as she was overcome by a powerful yawn that seemed to rattle her whole body. She glared at the TV accusingly. Stupid documentary being all interesting and boring all at once. It was confusing her body. Jane crossed her arms determinedly across her body, staring at the TV unblinkingly. She was staying awake till Maura got here. Uh huh. No _way_ she was falling asleep.

_Gonna stay awake all night if I have to. I'm a cop. I got this._

_Staying awake!_

_Just keep swimming, just keep swimming, what do we do, we swim, swim, swim..._

_Oh my God, shut up brain._

_R&IR&IR&I_

"Jane... Jane..."

Jane reached up and rubbed her eyes sleepily, before shooting up to a sitting position and blinking blearily at the clock. 9:37pm. She looked the other way and...

_Ooh, pretty._

Maura smiled at her fondly. "I thought I said to go to bed."

"You're late," Jane replied. "And I wasn't tired."

"Clearly," Maura replied, an amused look on her face as she looked over at the clock. "Also, I did say 'approximately', and I'm not sure 2 minutes constitutes a 'you're late' reprimand."

"It does." Jane crossed her arms against her chest, her eyes roving without her permission over Maura in her sweaty workout gear. "Where were you?" she blurted out.

"Today? I was at work." Maura stood up, pulled her hair out of its messy ponytail and began running her fingers through it.

"No, I meant after work."

"I told you, I went for a run."

"Did you do anything else?"

Maura froze. "Um. No?"

"No?" Jane raised an eyebrow, standing up and following as Maura attempted to escape into the bedroom. "Maura."

Maura scratched her chest. "I went to visit Bass and Jo."

"And after that?" Jane gulped as Maura pulled her shirt up and over her head, leaving her clad in her workout pants and sports bra. She shook her head.

_Focus, Jane!_

_Boobies._

_No, focus on something OTHER than the boobies, you giant weird ass teenager._

_Stomach?_

_Oh for God's sake..._

"I decided to make my run a bit longer."

Jane went over to the bedside table, running her finger over it to collect imaginary dust particles. "Oh, so you didn't... I don't know... talk to my mother or anything?"

Maura pulled her pants down. Now she was wearing just a sports bra and a pair of simple yet stylish hipster briefs. Jane gulped, her mouth suddenly dry. "Stop that!"

"Stop what?" Maura blinked innocently as she strolled over to the cupboard, hips swaying, and bent over _far_ more than was strictly necessary to simply get a pair of pyjamas out of the drawer.

"You know perfectly well _what_. Did you talk to my mother or not?"

Maura straightened up slowly, purple pyjamas in hand. "Not today?" She held the sleepwear in front of her body, as though only just realizing she was half nude and not alone.

_Aww, no need to be shy, Maura..._

_SHUT UP, BRAIN._

"So you have talked to her _recently_ then."

Maura's eyes were huge. "Perhaps."

"And what did Mrs. Buttinski _say_ when you '_perhaps'_ talked to her?"

Maura blinked. "You know, 'perhaps' is really the wrong word to use in that context; you probably should have used the word 'probably' so that the sentence made more sense. As it is, it..." she trailed off slowly as Jane intensified her glare, then blurted, "She cares about you!"

"Oh yes, she cares. She cares so much that she finds it necessary to be a pain in my behind..." Jane mumbled and Maura propped a hand on her hip indignantly, sense of propriety all but forgotten.

"She was just helping me!"

"Helping you with what?"

"She was giving me advice."

Jane heaved out a breath and closed her eyes, praying for patience. "Advice with _what_?"

"You."

Jane's eyes popped open. "So she _is_ the reason you've been acting weird!"

Maura appeared to be offended. "I have _not_ been acting weird!" She looked down, crumpling the clothes in her hands nervously. "I've just been... acting _different_."

"Same thing."

"Is not!"

"Is t..." Jane shook her head. "No, I'm not doing this. What did she say to you?"

Maura blinked at her.

"Maura."

She opened her mouth and shut it again.

"Maura!"

"Shesaidthatyou'reinlovewithmeanditwillbescaringyouandifIwantyoutonotpanicIshouldmakeyouwonderaboutmeandkeepyourcuriousityupbecauseotherwiseyoumightrunand..."

Jane held up her hand. Maura stopped mid word vomit.

Well, _almost_ stopped.

"And I don't want you to run," she added quietly, after she took a breath.

_Gonna kill Ma._

_Where will I hide the body?_

"Why..." she took a deep breath, "why would you think I'd run?"

Maura raised an eyebrow.

_Um, maybe because you HAVE run before, genius._

_Shut up, brain!_

"Right."

Maura stepped forward. "If it helps, tomorrow I don't plan to be running."

Jane watched her move, her jaw dropping.

"At all," Maura added, and in no time at all, she was in front of Jane.

Jane lifted her hands and placed them on warm skin at Maura's hips. "I'm still gonna kill Ma."

_Right, because THAT'S who you should be thinking about at a time like this. Your mother. Yup. Makes TOTAL sense._

_Weirdo._

Maura laughed. "Please don't. I don't want you to go to jail before I have the chance to make you scream my name."

With a soft peck to Jane's cheek, she turned, heading into the bathroom.

Jane gaped.

_She just... what just... I... She's gonna kill me._

_Ah, but what a way to go..._

"I don't scream, Maura!" she yelled through the closed door.

The door cracked open. "You will."

It shut again.

_Yup. Killed. Dead._

_Kaboom._

Jane grinned.

_R&IR&IR&I_

"Jane."

"Jane?"

"Jane!"

"Shh. Sleeping."

"OW!" Jane opened her eyes and glared at Maura, who was looking far too innocent for a person that had just thrown a decent punch at Jane's shoulder. "What was that for?"

"You were ignoring me."

"I was _sleeping._"

"No, you weren't. I could hear your brain whirring from here."

Jane lifted her head and peered at Maura in the near darkness. It was just light enough to make out her facial expression. "Really? Symbolism? From you?"

Maura lifted her head and cocked it slightly. She opened her mouth.

"Never mind," Jane said hurriedly. "I don't want to know if that was the wrong word or whatever. Anyway, if _I_ was thinking, _you _were too. You're normally out like a light."

"Did you know it takes the average person 7 minutes to fall to sleep?"

"Takes me longer than that."

"Yes, but you have been plagued by insomnia at times." Maura settled down again, pillowing her head back on Jane's shoulder comfortably.

"Are you saying I'm not average?"

She felt Maura smile against her. "Only in the best of ways."

Jane smiled too, and, besides the sound of their breathing, there was silence in the room for a few minutes, then, "So what were you thinking about then?"

Maura sighed. "Tomorrow."

"Me too."

Maura lifted her head. "You were?"

Jane nodded. "Of course."

"Oh, I was worried it was just me. I mean, what if I forget something?"

Jane frowned. "Huh?"

"I mean, I know the hotel will _call_ me if I leave something behind, but what if the person who services our room is dishonest and..."

Jane slapped Maura on the arm.

"Ow! What, that wasn't what you were talking about?"

Jane glared. "You're a terrible liar."

Maura laughed. "I know." She laid her head down on Jane's shoulder again. "But there's no sense in worrying. Everything will work out wonderfully." She lifted her head once more. "And I _will_ make you scream."

Jane bit her lip.

Maura tilted her head. "What?"

"I've never..." Jane lifted her hand, playing with the hem of her T-shirt, "you know... with a partner before."

"Orgasmed?"

"Maura!"

"Jane," Maura sounded exasperated. "If you're old enough to _do it_, you're old enough to _say it."_

"Fine. I've never _orgasmed_ with a partner before. You happy now?"

Maura smiled. "That sounds like a challenge." She laid her head down once more and closed her eyes. "Good night."

"...Good night..."

_Yup. Dead. D-E-D dead._

_R&IR&IR&I_

"What are you doing?"

"I'm packing."

"I can _see_ that, what I'm confused about is why you are taking ten hours to pack when it's a ten minute trip back to your house."

Maura frowned. "I am _not_ taking ten hours, and it's an _eight_ minute trip."

Jane threw herself back on the bed. "God, you are so _literal._"

"Well, why aren't _you_ packing then, Miss Impatience?"

"I'm already done." Jane pointed at her duffel bag and suitcase, both haphazardly stuffed and both with sleeves and pant legs poking out everywhere. Maura walked over and gave the duffel bag a doubtful nudge with her foot.

"Is anything alive in there?"

"Very funny."

"You really should fold your clothes, you know. They are going to get wrinkled."

Jane spread her arms out where she lay on the bed, so that she almost resembled a starfish. "Do I look like I care?"

"Not particularly."

"Ding ding ding, we have a winner!" Jane rolled over onto her stomach, shimmying around until she was looking at Maura.

"I just made that bed!"

Jane looked down at the now messy blankets. "The hotel staff will remake it anyway. Plus, they need to wash the sheets. Really, when you think about it, I'm actually doing them a favour. You know, makes it easier for them to pull the sheets off and whatnot."

Maura rolled her eyes. "Are you planning on helping me, or just lying there?"

Jane put her head down on the mattress. "Just lying here."

"Huh. Well, that's a pity."

Jane lifted her head, watching as Maura pulled a blouse off a hanger and folded it with painstakingly slow and careful movements. "_What's_ a pity?" she asked cautiously.

"Well, it's just that the longer I take to pack, the longer it will be before we get back to the house and..."

Jane leapt to her feet. "Packing duties, yes ma'am!"

She reached into the closet and closed her hands around ten clothing items at once. With a well practiced movement that left coat hangers swinging on their bar, she pulled them all of at once and shoved them into the bag before opening a drawer, grabbing out the handful of items in there and shoving it in too.

"Jane!" Maura squealed indignantly, but within five minutes, her bag was zipped up and handed to her.

"Done."

Maura stared down at the bag. "Wrinkles..."

"So not important."

"But..."

Jane stepped forward. Her heart was pounding so loud she was sure that Maura could hear it, but Maura just stared up at her wide eyed.

Jane leaned in.

Maura lifted her chin.

They moved closer together until...

_Knock knock_.

Jane growled. "If that's that clamblocker saleswoman come to find us, I'm gonna kill her."

"Clamblocker?"

"Shut up, Maura."

Their lips met, and as Maura's mouth slowly opened and their tongues met for the first time, Jane slowly grinned into the kiss. She pulled back.

"Let's go, Maura. Let's go home."

She grabbed her bags, flung open the door and thrust them at the astonished porter. "I'm having sex soon."

He gaped.

_Yeah, baby._

END CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT

_Yes, this was kind of a filler chapter. Don't even care. It didn't feel right to go straight to the sex... I decided to trust my instincts. :-/_

_But hopefully there was enough suggestiveness in there to placate those of you who now want to kill me for not giving you, you know, sexytime Rizzles. I will have the next chapter up soon though... hopefully in 24 hours or so? And I'm already freaking out about writing the sex scene lol :-P But I'm excited too! Weird emotions for the win._

_Eww, not _that_ kind of excited. Sickos :-P hehehe. Don't worry, if you're all sickos, then I definitely am too. _

_Also it's 11pm here and I'm still awake! Not good, especially since, knowing me, I'll probably be awake tomorrow morning at 5am on the dot! Stupid internal alarm clock. But hey, you got the chapter like a whole 12 hours earlier than I thought I'd be able to post it, so yay?_

_Please review! My shift key wanted me to yell that at you. Really need to buy a new keyboard. SO MUCH UNINTENTIONAL YELLING. Would be awesome to get to 600 reviews but I'll settle for 590 :-P *puppy dog eyes* haha, but seriously, thanks for just reading my story... means a lot._

_Love to all (my keyboard wanted me to yell that too. Overly attached girlfriend much? haha) xoxo_


	30. Chapter 29

_OVER 600 REVIEWS, YOU GUYS ARE FREAKIN' AWESOME! SO MUCH LOVE AND AWKWARDLY LONG HUGS FOR ALL OF YOU!_

**_Note rating change for this chapter. Not suitable for underage readers._**

_Thank you to Annika B and Holly K who helped me with identifying Jo Friday's possible breed/s. :-D Also Heather H and Sandi C. :-D_

_Also, I know I said I'd put A/N's down the bottom from now on but I'm so freakin' excited and proud of myself that I just HAVE to tell you right now (and those who know me from the Facebook Rizzles group already know what I'm going to say), but I CAME OUT TO THREE EXTRA PEOPLE IN THE PAST 48 HOURS. THREE. Considering it took me like 12 years to come out to ONE person, then another six months to come out to a SECOND person, three in... well, technically, it was actually about 18 hours, from Friday night to Saturday mid morning... is pretty damn good. And they were so supportive... they were all saying things like: I don't care but I'm honoured and proud that you had the courage to tell me... I love you no matter what... you're awesome... etc :-D SO not sure where I got the sudden burst of courage from but I am NOT complaining :-P And my boss, who was one of the three, said, and I quote: 'Katie, anyone who knows you couldn't NOT love you" and I was like awwww *meltyness* GAH. EXCITEMENT. PRIDE. HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY._

_*cough* Anyway... right. Onto the chapter :-P_

*****CHAPTER TWENTY NINE*****

"Whoa."

"Do you like it?"

"Whoa."

"That doesn't answer my question, Jane!" Maura wrung her hands nervously. "I wanted to surprise you but if you hate it, I can..."

"No, it's just..." Jane walked slowly into the living room, twirling around in an attempt to see everything at once, "when did you even _do_ all this?"

Maura bit her lip. "Angela helped."

Jane rolled her eyes.

_Of course she did._

Jane spun around slowly once more, taking in the new couch, the framed pictures of the two of them artfully placed on the walls, the new coffee table, and the new, practically fluorescent orange, fluffy ottoman. She eyed that in particular.

"Uh... orange?"

Maura came up beside her and stared down at the ottoman. "Yes. Orange."

"Why orange?"

"It adds a certain artistic flair to the room, don't you think?" Maura beamed down at it, seeming to be expectantly awaiting Jane's exulted reply.

Jane decided it was safer not to reply to _that_ particular question.

"Uh, right... so, only the guest room got damaged... and possibly part of the hallway... why all this change?"

"Because!" Maura said, turning to Jane with an earnest expression. "Before it was all _my_ stuff... now it's _ours._"

"Right... our stuff that I didn't help pick..."

Maura opened her mouth, then shut it again, looking confused. "Oh. Well, you can pick out a new rug or something."

"Oh yay," Jane deadpanned. "Can it be orange?"

Maura looked even more confused. "I... I don't know... it might be a bit much... I mean, if you want it to be, I guess that would... maybe I'd buy another ottoman. But I like that ottoman... I could put it in our room...!"

_Oh hell no._

Jane shook her head fondly. "Never mind."

She smiled as Maura tilted her head with a frown, but then seemed to perk up quickly. "Give me your key."

Jane slowly lost her smile as she studied Maura out of the corner of her eye curiously. "Why?"

"Just give me your key!"

"But w..."

"Jane. Now."

_So whipped._

_So, SO whipped._

Jane pulled her keys off of her belt and eyed them. "Uh... which key?"

"The key to the house," Maura rolled her eyes as though Jane was the silliest person in the world. Jane frowned.

"Why do you want my key to y... our... house? Aren't I moving in?"

"Of course you are, but we need to do this properly."

Jane frowned but obediently pulled the key off her keyring (along with its dolphin keyring friend), handing it over.

Aaand Maura walked away.

_What the?_

"Maura..."

Jane moved to follow her, only to be stopped by a hand to the chest. She raised an eyebrow.

"Maura!"

Maura simply smiled and walked away.

Jane stayed in place.

_So, so, SO whipped._

Jane tapped her foot impatiently, and 30 seconds later...

"I have a present for you!" Maura stood in front of Jane, beaming hugely, holding out... a gift box?

Jane looked at it suspiciously. "Uh... thanks." With a quick glance at Maura (who was still grinning so widely, Jane was half surprised her face hadn't cracked), she pulled at the silver ribbon tying it up and opened the box.

_Oh, hey, waddaya know, a key. MY key. With a... dog keyring? And a tortoise?_

Jane looked up. Maura was smiling proudly, but with a touch of worry. "Do you like it? I tried to get a dog that is as close in appearance to Jo Friday as possible. That part was fairly easy... I just went down to that large pet store that just opened up, and they had keyrings of all the different breeds of dogs, but of course Jo Friday is an unidentified mix. I suspect she is partly Yorkshire Terrier, partly Wheaten Terrier," she tilted her head in consideration, "possibly with some Glen of Imaal... and maybe also some Cairn thrown in somewhere down the line... but I got a Yorkshire keyring. I hope you don't mind the colour difference... I know she doesn't look _exactly_ like Jo," she looked down at the box worriedly for a minute. "Oh, and trying to find a small Bass was..." she shook her head, "_such_ a drama. At first, all I could find were little... little... _cartoon_ tortoises. There was no care given for making sure that their physical attributes were adequately displayed... I mean, honestly. Those sorts of things are supposed to teach children about the different sorts of animals_?_ It was impossible to differentiate between turtle and tortoise for most of them!" she shook her head as though it was the most preposterous thing she had ever heard of. "However, eventually I went to this little store at Faneuil Hall and I found him! I mean... again, the colour isn't precisely right... this tortoise is much darker than Bass... but I suppose if that bothers you, we can always arrange to..."

Jane finally put her finger to Maura's lips, effectively stopping the rant. Maura blinked up at her. Jane, without looking, put the box down on the nearest surface and stepped closer.

"You're a dork, you know this, right?"

Maura's lips curved up, but then the smile faltered. "Is that... good?"

Jane smiled as she leaned in, hesitating only an inch away from Maura's mouth. "Yes. It's good."

And as their lips met, Jane grinned between kisses.

Life was good.

_R&IR&IR&I_

Life was not good.

Life was scary.

Life was one big bowl of scariness and not good-iness and... and...

Jane blinked. Maura was bustling around the room busily putting away her belongings, walking in and out of the closet. At that moment, she was _in_ the closet. "So I cleared a space for your clothes and shoes in here... it's right h... Jane?" Maura looked around, finally poking her head out, looking at Jane curiously. "Aren't you coming in?"

Jane bit her lip. "Uh, aren't we supposed to be coming _out_ of the closet?" She laughed weakly.

Maura raised an eyebrow.

_Right, not funny._

"Don't we have _other_ things we should be doing?"

_Yup, cause that wasn't obvious at _all.

"Other things?"

_Of course, you are speaking to Miss Oblivious..._

"You know..." Jane pointed at the bed.

Maura raised an eyebrow and pointed at Jane's bags.

"Maura! Really?"

Maura came out of the closet just enough so that Jane could see her hands propped on her hips. "Yes, Jane, you need to put away your belongings before they get wrinkled!" She stalked over to the bags, unzipping the suitcase, opening the flap and looking inside. She scrunched up her nose. "_More_ wrinkled," she corrected herself.

"Maura!"

"Jane!" Maura copied Jane's whiny tone. "Stop whining and start unpacking."

_I do NOT whine!_

"I don't whine..." Jane grumbled as she stomped over to the bag. She stood on the bag strap and the metal attachment dug into the soft arch of her foot, so she hopped up and down, cursing in pain. Maura rolled her eyes and disappeared back into the gargantuan closet.

"It's your own fault for stomping!"

"I don't stomp!" Jane yelled back petulantly, rubbing her foot long past the time it felt better, waiting for Maura to come out and give her sympathy.

_Hello?_

_INJURED PERSON HERE._

_Fine. Stupid Maura._

Jane finally picked up the bags and _aggressively _walked into the closet. _Not stomping_, she thought with a huff, dumping her duffle bag on the floor but still holding the opened suitcase protectively to her chest.

Maura looked up with a disinterested air, pulled another coat hanger off the hook and picked up another dress.

Jane waited.

Maura continued to barely acknowledge her existence.

_You gotta be freakin' KIDDING me._

"Maura."

"Maura."

"MAURA!"

Maura hung up the dress. "Yes?"

Jane stared. "We have a brand new bed in the bedroom."

"Yes, we do."

"We are now a... a couple." Jane couldn't help but smile goofily as she said it.

"Yes, we are." Maura's face, on the other hand, was politely indifferent.

"We live together now."

"Yes, we do."

"You just gave me a key to your home."

"Yes, I..."

Jane frowned. "Will you shut up?"

Maura raised an eyebrow, turned, and picked up another dress.

Jane wondered if she imagined the twitching of Maura's lips before she turned.

"We're alone..."

Maura twirled slightly to face Jane again and tilted her head, lips apparently under control now. "Yes. And...?"

Jane dumped her bag on the floor, taking one big step over it. With clever movements, she quickly manoeuvred Maura until her back was pressed up against her many boxes of shoes. Maura looked up wide eyed, the clearly already forgotten dress dangling off one outstretched finger.

"And," Jane whispered, rubbing her nose along Maura's neck, relishing in the soft exhale of breath her move received, "I do believe you made a promise. To make me scream?"

"Oh, you... you want to do that _now?_"

"Don't you?" Jane swept in, kissing Maura thoroughly. When she pulled back, she observed the closed eyes, heaving chest and swollen lips with some pride.

"I..." Maura gulped, "I just thought we should... should..."

Jane grinned. "You're a terrible liar." She reached down, intent on kissing the full, flushed lips in front of her once more when she had a thought and stopped abruptly. Maura looked up at her, eyes dark and needy. "You played me..."

Maura bit her lip.

"You knew I'd be scared and worried..."

As Jane watched, Maura tilted her head down slightly and attempted to make her eyes all big and innocent looking.

"You wanted me to make the first move."

Maura opened her mouth. "Well, Angela said..."

Jane shut her up by capturing her lips in a bruising kiss, tongues battling fiercely. When she pulled away, "Don't talk about my mother now. Or ever again."

Maura smiled absently, looking rather dazed. "Deal."

_R&IR&IR&I_

"What the hell are you even _doing?"_

"Nothing."

Jane rolled her eyes, flopping back on the bed. "This is not making me not nervous." She looked at her watch.

_19 minutes._

_Oh, wait... 20 minutes. Yay._

"Ooh, a double negative. You know, you should really try to avoid those. It sounds much better to say that this, the wait, _is_ making you nervous."

Jane lifted her head to argue as Maura _finally_ came out of the bathroom, but stopped abruptly before a single word could get out. Eventually... "Whoa."

Maura smiled nervously. "You like?"

_Boobies?_

_Booobies._

_Boooooobies._

Jane didn't even have the willpower to tell her brain to shut up. "Yep."

"You do?"

"I like."

"Are you sure, because I do hav..."

Jane growled, leaping off the bed and catching Maura up in her arms. Carrying her in a fireman's hold, staggering only slightly, she stalked back over to the bed and dumped her on it. Maura bounced slightly, eyes wide as Jane crawled over the top of her, closely examining with eyes and gentle fingers each inch of the sheer black and red negligee as she did. When she finally looked up to Maura's face, she noticed that she was biting her lip again.

"If I didn't know better, _Dr Isles_, I would say that you are nervous too. Or do you usually procrastinate this long before having sex with someone?"

"... Not usually... no."

Jane leant her head down, burying it in the crook of Maura's neck and shoulder. The smell was intoxicating, so quickly she sneaked her tongue out and ran it along Maura's neck. The taste was even more exquisite. Maura sighed heavily, moving her head to give Jane better access.

"So why are you hesitating with me?"

"I... I suppose that I _am_ nervous," Maura squeaked, bringing her arms up and clutching at Jane's back while she continued to lick and bite at Maura's neck. Maura dug her nails into Jane's shoulder blades. Jane wondered if she'd have marks.

She quickly decided she didn't care.

"Why are you nervous?"

"Why are _you _nervous?" Maura shot back quickly, and Jane sat up, staring at her with narrowed eyes.

Finally, she answered frankly, "I think because I love you."

Maura's mouth opened slightly before a smile took over her features. "I love you too."

Jane smiled at Maura.

Maura smiled at Jane.

Finally, Jane looked away from Maura's eyes and trailed her gaze down her body. "Well, I think we're both wearing too many clothes."

"Indeed."

"Should we...?"

"Okay."

They both stood up on opposite sides of the bed and began shedding their clothes, sometimes shyly, sometimes blatantly, sneaking peeks at each other. Eventually they both lay on the bed again, but this time they were both naked, and were both lying on their respective sides, neither touching the other.

_Pretty sure you need to DO SOMETHING._

"I want this more than I've ever wanted anything," Jane finally whispered, and looked over just in time to see a tear streak its way down Maura's cheek. Maura was lying with eyes closed, but when Jane turned to face her, she turned too, alerted perhaps by some chemical attraction... some hormonal response.

Or perhaps just the movement of the mattress. Who knew?

Jane reached out and wiped the tear away.

"Me too." Maura's voice shook as she finally opened her eyes. "Make love to me, Jane."

Jane shuddered in a deep breath as she looked into Maura's eyes. "Okay." She reached forward, reaching for Maura's bare hip and, with a sudden pull, they both gasped as their bare skin touched for the first time. Jane stared into Maura's eyes, running her hand over her hips, her waist... tentatively over the side swell of her breast...

"You can... you can touch... more..." Maura whispered, and with that, Jane cupped the whole breast properly, gently rubbing the nipple with her index finger. Maura gasped softly, before reaching out and cupping Jane's breast.

_And we haven't been doing this the whole time, why?_

"You know, I always thought, if we did this," Jane started, looking down at the dusky pink nipple that was now caught between index and middle finger, "that it would be rushed, frantic."

"Me too."

Jane looked up. "I guess that proves it. Real life is always better."

With that, she slowly trailed her fingers down Maura's stomach, easing her onto her back in the process, drawing tendrils and patterns on her stomach, following through with her mouth, leaving sweet gentle kisses in her wake, wondering how anyone could taste so sweet. She took her time, listening to the reactions, hesitating in the areas that drew the most soft moans and gasps before finally moving to her legs. She worked her way up from Maura's feet, pausing briefly at her knees (and vaguely she wondered how Maura could make such an unattractive body feature as knees appear so gorgeous) before working her way higher up Maura's thighs.

"Please..."

Jane smiled where she lay with her lips pressed to Maura's inner thigh and looked up as her fingers finally made the trip to where they most wanted to be. Maura's spread her legs wider eagerly, and Jane revelled in the little gasps and moans that fell from her lips, almost without pause for breath. She trailed her fingers from knee to high inner thigh on the right, knee to high inner thigh on the left side, her only little detours to just ever so slightly tease at the swollen lips.

"Jane... please..."

"What do you want? Tell me... tell me again."

Maura gasped slightly as Jane hesitated on her inner thighs, drawing patterns and writing words in the slickness that had already thoroughly wet them, and she stared into Jane's eyes deeply. She reached down, grabbing onto Jane's shoulders, pulling her into a long, slow kiss. Finally, "Make love to me, Jane... and then let me make love to you."

Jane felt like all the air had been expelled from her lungs. With a rattling deep inhalation, she sat up and slowly reached that little bit further.

Maura moaned loudly as Jane finally, hesitantly breached her walls, barely invasive for now, only to the first knuckle.

Jane watched her finger in fascination as the tip of it vanished, then looked at Maura was gripping the bed sheets tightly; she was sweating, red faced, and Jane had barely done anything.

She had never looked more beautiful.

Jane pulled her finger out and continued to tease the outer labia, occasionally dipping in again, watching Maura's reaction. Finally, with a deep breath, she eased her middle finger in slowly, amazed at the sheer amount of lubrication Maura's body was producing.

Vaguely, she wondered if it was normal to produce that much. Perhaps she was the one who was abnormal for never getting this wet?

"More, Jane... please..."

Jane eased a second finger alongside the first. Her thumb stretched out hesitantly, seeking... and...

"OH GOD!"

Maura's back arched deeply as Jane rubbed her clit. Jane grinned, slipping a third finger in as her thumb continued to move in tiny circles. Maura was gasping, writhing uncontrollably, squeezing at her own breasts and Jane thought it was the single sexiest thing she had ever seen.

"I... I... I'm going to..." Maura arched again, her muscles pulling taut. Jane held her breath as she continued to pump her hand in tiny movements, swirling her fingers inside, and... "_Jaaaaane..._" It came out as nothing more than a gasp, but Jane felt the muscles twitching sporadically around her fingers. She gasped too, realizing that Maura was having an orgasm... an orgasm because of _her_... and that she herself was moving her hips up and down slightly, trying to get some friction where she needed it most, feeling a kind of desperation she'd never really felt before.

Maura gasped, eventually pushing Jane's hand away. "It's your turn." She smiled at Jane in a sated, yet almost feral manner as she pulled and pushed her down to a lying position and swung her leg over the top of Jane's body.

Jane flushed nervously. "I... uh... I don't... usually... ever... get as wet as you," Jane warned hesitantly, and without preamble, Maura reached down. Jane gasped as she lightly ran her fingers over her folds, the sensitivity more than she'd ever known before.

Maura brought her fingers up so Jane could see them glistening. "Wanna bet?" With a wicked gleam in her eye, she stuck them in her mouth one at a time, sucking intently. Jane groaned, spreading her legs wantonly, thrusting up, trying to get some friction.

Maura began trailing kisses down her body, imitating Jane's movements, lingering longer in spots where there were stronger reactions. The only difference was that occasionally, she bit down too, causing Jane to jump and groan each time, feeling a new pool of wetness form. "I... I probably won't orgasm," Jane warned suddenly, and Maura lifted her head, smiling. She crawled up Jane's body again, pressing short sweet kisses to her mouth until Jane responded.

"I know you're worried. But... I don't think you'll need to worry about that. If you don't..." she slowly trailed kisses down Jane's neck, "we'll just have to experiment..." her kisses moved lower, "find out what you like," she sucked and gently bit Jane's nipple, "and go from there."

Jane nodded blindly, gasping for breath.

"Do you trust me?" Maura asked.

"Al... always."

She kissed up and down Jane's thighs before finally, finally reaching the area Jane wanted her most.

_Oh God..._

Maura didn't use her fingers like Jane had. She just used her mouth. She sucked at Jane's clit then started tracing patterns on it, ducking down to thrust her tongue into Jane as deep as it would go, then moving back up to her clit.

Jane writhed uncontrollably, hands alternating between clutching the sheets and threading themselves through Maura's hair. With barely felt embarrassment, she realized that she was pressing herself harder up against Maura's mouth, gasping and moaning all sorts of things.

She had _never_ felt this way before.

"Oh God, Maura..."

"Maura..."

"Maura? I... I..." She gasped, back arching as the sensation she had only ever felt alone before, washed over her.

Except this one was about 50 times stronger.

"MAAAURRRAAA!"

The world blacked out. When she came to...

"Told you I'd make you scream."

Jane rolled her eyes, pulling Maura in for a kiss.

Gotta get that insufferable smile off her face _somehow_, after all.

END CHAPTER TWENTY NINE

_Um. Right. I'm just... gonna go hide._

_Don't throw things, I told you I've not had much practice at writing sex scenes!_

_However, this has now been rewritten. So hopefully it's better than the first time you guys (may have) read it. :-)_

_Oh also, that Faneuil Hall place exists! I looked it up! I have no idea what kind of stores are there... or if any of them sell tortoise keyrings... but it exists! Yay for research! :-P_

_Ahem. Please review. *resumes hiding*_

_Love to all xoxo_


	31. Chapter 30

_To the reviewers who have left comments saying that they don't like the story, the characters are acting like retards/teenagers etc... please remember that it's not intended to be taken seriously... it's just a bit of tongue-in-cheek humour to cheer me up while I feel crappy. :-P I'll say it again: I __**don't**_ _feel like this is my best work... but I'm enjoying writing it... and many seem to enjoy reading it... so I'll keep going for a few more chapters yet. Another quick reminder: negativity without constructive feedback (and telling me everything I'm doing 'wrong' is NOT constructive, just fyi...) is a waste of your time and mine. You don't like this story, please simply find another one to read :-)_

_So I'm thinking maybe 3-8 more chapters and the story will be complete? I know what I want to happen, but just not how long it will take. And then I might write a smutty story full of one shots just so I can practice writing sex scenes :-P_

_Also, I totally had a marriage proposal from a guest reviewer. And got told I was cute by someone else. AND called a doofus by someone else again. *feels special* haha!_

_ONTO THE CHAPTER!_

*****CHAPTER THIRTY*****

"What are you doing?"

"Nothing."

A sigh and a rustle of sheets. Eventually, Maura's head appeared over the side of the bed.

Jane smiled up at her.

"Would you mind telling me the reason you are lying on the floor?"

Jane thought. "Yes."

Maura frowned. "Yes?"

"Yes."

Maura's eyes travelled over to the side as she thought. "Oh! Yes, you would mind?"

"Yes."

Maura raised an eyebrow, bringing her hands up and folding them on the mattress, resting her chin atop them.

"What are you doing?"

"Waiting for you to tell me the reason you're lying on the floor."

Jane sat up slightly. "I said I wasn't going to tell you."

"Well, no, technically you said that..."

Jane flopped back on the floor, pulling the pillow that she had brought down with her over her head. "Shut up," she said, voice muffled.

Silence. Jane cautiously lifted the pillow off her head, and...

"AAARGH!"

"Hi!" Maura beamed from where she sat cross legged on the floor, bending over Jane's face. Jane threw the pillow at her. Maura dodged it. "What was that for?"

"For scaring me."

"I didn't scare you!"

"I'm pretty sure people don't just scream for the hell of it, Maura! Especially not me."

"Oh," Maura appeared to think about this for a second before her smile regained full wattage. "Why are you lying on the floor?"

Apparently, she thought randomly throwing the question out there would work.

"Just 'cause."

"Why are you lying on the floor?"

_Oh okay, now she's trying to make me answer by repeating herself. Because that will SO work. Not._

"Dunno."

"Hmm." Maura sat back and seemed to be planning her next method of attack. While she was distracted, Jane sat up and quickly snagged her pillow back.

"Anyway, _why_ aren't _you_ tired? We just had sex _all weekend_... I don't think we got more than 5 hours sleep..."

Maura straddled Jane. "We just had sex all weekend."

"That's what I said."

Maura smiled. "I know. I just liked the sound of it."

Jane blinked. "Right... so wait, _how _are you so awake? Aren't you tired?"

Maura leant down and started nuzzling into Jane's neck. "No. Sex releases endorphins... endorphins make you..." she sat back up quickly and grinned wickedly, "Endorphins make you happy. Happy people just don't shoot their husbands."

_What?_

"What?"

Maura beamed happily.

"Wait, when did _you_ watch Legally Blonde?"

"I found it."

Jane narrowed her eyes. "You found it... _where_?"

"On Netflix."

"You don't know how to _use_ Netflix. You got it for me."

"I figured it out."

_Seriously. Genius for a best friend/girlfriend? WORST. IDEA. EVER._

_Even if she IS adorable._

_Wait, what?_

_Cute._

_That's not any better._

_Sweet?_

_Haha, you big softie._

_SHUT UP BRAIN._

"... and there was this folder called 'Favourites' so I went into it and found many of your favourite movies and then I saw this one. I'd never heard of it before so I watched it and while there were some discrepancies between..."

Jane held up her hand. Maura stopped talking, wide eyed.

"If you _ever_ tell _anyone_..."

Maura's lips curved up in a smile. "My lips are sealed."

"Good." She pulled Maura down on top of her again, and they cuddled for a little while.

"What about 'The Notebook' and 'Titanic'? I saw them in your Favourites folder. Can I tell others about them?"

Jane dug her fingers into Maura's side.

She let out an honest to God squeal as she squirmed away.

Jane grinned.

_R&IR&IR&I_

"So, out of curiousity, why _are_ we lying on the floor?"

Jane sighed. "There's something wrong with the bed."

"_What?_" Maura immediately sat up, as abruptly as a Jack in the Box pops its lid, and Jane narrowly avoided getting a stray elbow to the breast.

"Maura!"

"Where?" Maura demanded, running her hands across the bed frame and the mattress.

Jane sighed. "You can't really tell unless you're lying on it."

Maura crawled onto the bed, lying down on her side.

Jane rolled her eyes, pushing herself up onto her elbows in order to see properly.

"On _my_ side, Maura."

"Oh." Maura did a little cute-as-hell shuffle over to Jane's side of the bed and lay down. Instantly, the frame sagged down in the corner nearest her head. "Oh!" She pushed herself up to a standing position, and lifted up the mattress slightly to find what Jane had already found when she woke up... the screw that was supposed to hold the frame to the head had failed. It had literally snapped in half, with half of it still screwed into the frame.

"I wonder if..." Maura trailed off.

Jane smirked. Yeah, she was pretty sure it had something to do with the weekend's... uh... _activities._

"It's a brand new bed! It shouldn't have done this." Maura frowned down at it. "We'll have to take it back."

Jane groaned, throwing the pillow over her face. "See, _this_ is why I didn't want to tell you."

Maura looked confused. "Why?"

Jane pulled the pillow off, throwing it to the side as she sat up and gestured emphatically. "Because you'll make us go back to that store! With that crazy ass clamblocker lady and... and... I don't like her."

Maura frowned. "What's a clamblocker?"

Jane fell backwards with a dramatic groan, cursing slightly when her head hit the floor.

Maura laughed. "I'll arrange for us to have the morning off work and we can go now. Look on the bright side," she patted Jane's hand, "she probably won't even be there."

_R&IR&IR&I_

"Hello! How may I help you! My, don't you both look lovely today!"

Jane was pretty sure the glare she was sending this woman could cut through steel, but she just kept the mile wide grin in place.

_The question is, is she braver than most or just stupid?_

"Hi, we bought a bed from here recently and after only two night's use, it has broken. We require..."

"Broken! Oh, what a silly bed!"

_Stupid. Just stupid._

"Uh..." Maura looked taken aback. "Yes. Silly... anyway, we were requiring either our money back, or preferably an exchange. Here are the pictures of what's happened..."

She showed the saleswoman pictures she had taken on her cell phone, while Jane stood off to the side and looked around the store.

_Oh, look at that. An Elvis statue. Seriously, who the hell_ shops_ here?_

_Well, besides me and Maura..._

The voice of the saleswoman (apparently her name was '!TRUDY! :-)', according to her name tag) pulled Jane out of her thoughts.

"Were you having a bit of a romp in the sack with a lover?!" she asked Maura excitedly, sending her an exaggerated wink as she practically bounced in place. Jane raised an eyebrow. "Was he _handsome_?! I mean, it's worth it if he's _handsome!_" she gushed. Both of Jane's eyebrows had now practically shot into her hairline.

_Yup. Definitely stupid. AND inappropriate._

"Umm..." Maura shot a desperate look towards Jane.

She stalked forward. "Not a 'he', but yes. I would say I'm reasonably attractive, wouldn't you Maura?"

Maura stepped into her arms willingly. "Absolutely."

"Oh! You are lesbians! How fabulous! Let me ask you, what's it like having sex with a woman? Because I've always wondered and..."

_VERY inappropriate. And stupid stupid STUPID._

Jane rolled her eyes, flipping her coat back to show off her gun and badge. '!TRUDY! :-)' took a slow step back, finally losing her smile. "Just deal with the paperwork, would ya?"

"Um. Okay."

As she hurried off, Jane nuzzled her nose into Maura's hair and thought _huh. Maybe not so stupid after all._

_Or just, you know, not suicidal this time._

_R&IR&IR&I_

"So. Good weekend?"

Jane dumped her stuff on the desk and looked at Frost suspiciously. "Yeees... why?"

"No reason."

Uh huh. That's the reason his face was about to crack from the smirk he was holding in. No reason. _Right._

"How was your weekend?" she asked cautiously.

"Not as good as yours, apparently."

"I miss those kinds of weekends..." Korsak mused. Frost and Jane both turned to him and he raised both his hands and his eyebrows, trying to look innocent. Jane rolled her eyes.

"What are you guys talking about?"

"Nothing."

"Nothing."

Jane looked between the two men with narrowed eyes. They both had twitching lips. She huffed, sitting down and starting to put her things away. "Whatever. I've got work to do."

Frost covered his mouth with his hand, ineffectively trying to hide his smile. "Sure you're gonna be able to concentrate? You know... after your... _weekend_?"

"What..." she trailed off as Frankie walked in. He glanced around the room before coming over to her and lifting the hair off her neck. She slapped his hand and he retracted it with a grin on his face.

"Woo, who knew Dr Isles was a biter?"

"What?" She darted over to his desk, ignoring the loud barks of laughter that came from the men behind her, and looked into the mirror he had there.

God only knew why _her brother_ had a mirror on his desk and she didn't have one on hers... _pretty boy_... but anyway.

Oh, and hey, look at that. A nice purple hickey on her throat, complete with bite marks. Her hair almost completely covered it when it was in front of her shoulders, but not when it was behind, which was probably why she hadn't noticed it that morning.

"I'm gonna kill her."

"Yeah, don't get too angry. You left a few marks on her too."

Jane looked at Frankie in horror. "When did you see Maura?"

"This morning." The smirk was threatening to crack his face in half.

Jane groaned, thumping her head down on the desk.

_Right, well if people didn't know before, PRETTY SURE they're gonna know now._

She lifted her head slowly.

Hmm. _Ah well. At least now they know she's mine and won't hit on her anymore._

Jane grinned. This could be good.

_R&IR&IR&I_

Jane grinned widely as she took in the sight in front of her: Maura, still bent over paperwork, even though it was quitting time. "Hi."

Maura looked up and smiled. "Hi." She stood up and approached Jane but stopped awkwardly a few feet away. Jane leant forward and kissed her softly on the cheek.

Maura's smile widened.

Jane shrugged uncomfortably. "We're at work. I don't want to be too touchy feely."

"But you don't care if people know?" Maura walked forward, comfortably looping her arm through Jane's.

Jane shrugged. "Most everyone knows anyway. And if they didn't... they probably do now." She flushed slightly. "Apparently we need to lay off the biting."

"Well..." Maura pushed herself up on tiptoes to whisper in Jane's ear, holding herself steady on her shoulder, "we need to be cautious on parts of the body other people can see, anyway..."

Jane shuddered. "Right. So... the neck is a no go."

"Absolutely. But of course breasts... abdomen... thighs... hips... shoulders..." she bit her lip as she blinked up at Jane slowly, "_ass..."_ Jane groaned at the word choice, even as she smiled as a soft pink flush covered Maura's cheeks.

"Okay, let's go home. Now."

"Whatever you say, Detective."

She pulled her arm out of Jane's, sauntering ahead, hips swaying _far_ more than was strictly necessary.

_Aaand she's trying to kill me._

Jane stayed in place, gawking for a moment.

"Jane? Don't you want to explore your options on this case? I think it would be prudent to do so immediately... you never know what areas you might have missed... they really _do_ deserve a going over, just to be sure you've covered everything..."

_Aaand I'm dead._

_What a way to go though._

"I'm coming!"

She grinned.

_Coming in more ways than one soon enough..._

_SHUT U... actually, you know what, brain? I like you. Don't shut up._

She caught up to Maura, leaning down to whisper in her ear.

"Can I lick your face?"

Maura frowned.

_I take it back._

_SHUT UP, BRAIN._

_R&IR&IR&I_

The ride back was uneventful, if exceptionally long. Traffic was great, but with Maura squirming on the seat beside her, Jane felt like the 14 minute trip actually took triple that time.

When she finally pulled up outside the door, she hurriedly pulled the handbrake and put the car in park before desperately reaching over and pulling Maura to her, kissing her deeply.

"Let's go inside?" Maura asked, when they finally pulled away, gasping for breath.

"Yeah... yeah... let's. Let's go. Inside. Now. Go."

She opened the door and attempted to throw her body out. She didn't get very far.

"Jane... seatbelt."

_Oh. Right._

She pushed the button to release herself, clambering out of the car. Maura had already made her way over to her side. Jane moved forward, smiling, her hands on Maura's hips, pulling her closer, and...

"Jane?"

_Oh good. Cause this is JUST what I need._

"Hi Casey."

_FUCK._

END CHAPTER THIRTY

_CLIFFHANGER MWAHAH... *cough* um. Hi. :-P_

_Thank you to Gabito B for helping me with the whole Netflix thing... I'm a dinosaur and only use DVDs and videos :-P Also a HUGE thank you to Sandie P. W. J. who gave me the idea for the first part of this chapter :-P_

_As always, thanks for reading, and I'd love it if you would be so kind as to review :-)_

_Love to all xoxo_


	32. Chapter 31

_To anyone who's been living under a rock and hasn't heard the wonderful news: SASHA IS GOING TO BE ON THE ELLEN SHOW! *super crazy happy dance*_

_Also, someone decided it was a good idea for me to have sugar on Thursday, in the form of lollies and lemonade. That 'someone' may or may not have been me. I went craaaazy. Well, crazier than normal. My colleagues were laughing at me. How rude. They were saying 'how are you today?' And I would reply 'Sooooore but HAPPPPPPY!' *insane grin* :-P And they would then back away slowly. :-P_

_ONTO THE CHAPTER_

*****CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE*****

Jane mumbled under her breath as she banged around the kitchen bad temperedly. There was only so much slamming of cupboard doors one could do when simply making a beverage for a guest, but she made damn sure she took advantage of every one of the opportunities to do so.

And perhaps she threw in a couple of extra door slams.

You know, maybe.

As she finally poured the coffee, she listened intently to the excruciatingly polite way Maura was talking to Casey. She winced. She couldn't make out the words but that over the top polite tone never meant _anything_ good.

Maura was pissed.

Maura was _so_ pissed.

"Could have gone to pick up the pets straight after work but _nooo,_ why would I want to do that, much better to come straight home, because you know, maybe I'll get some sex but of course I don't get sex, instead my _ex_ is randomly waiting at the door and..."

"What are you doing?"

Jane stopped mid rant and almost knocked the coffee off the bench as she whirled about guiltily. "Um. Hi."

"Hi."

Okay, and that eyebrow raise was definitely _not_ out of amusement. Jane smiled sweetly.

"Making coffee?"

"Mhm. Sounded like you were talking to yourself."

"No."

"Are you sure?"

Jane nodded vigorously. "Of course. Do I look like the kind that would talk to myself?"

Oh, and now both eyebrows were raised. Awesome.

"Okay, maybe I was. A little bit."

Maura's eyebrows lowered to normal heights. In fact... possibly below normal heights. Was she frowning?

Yup, she was frowning.

Oh dear.

Maura stepped closer to Jane, leaning into her ear. "I have a question," she hissed quietly, "Wouldn't it have made more sense for _me_ to make the coffee so _you_ could talk to the man you used to have sexual relations with?"

_Yup._

_So SO pissed._

"Um, maybe, but..."

"But what?"

Oh, the eyebrows were raised again. It was like an eyebrow disco in here.

_This is how we party, fooling with your body, Come on everybody, can't get enough of you..._

_Why the hell are you singing S Club Junior lyrics?_

"But... I needed some time to think?"

"Think about what?"

Oh excellent. An indignant hand, if an appendage can be said to express such an emotion, had now settled on her jutting out hip.

God_damn_ she was pissed.

And the eyebrows were still raised. Awesome.

_This is how we party..._

_SHUT UP BRAIN._

"Stuff."

Maura pursed her lips. "I wouldn't think there'd be too much to talk about. Surely it will just be 'Maura and I are now in a relationship, go away'?"

Okay, so _that_ was loud.

Jane flapped her hands in a panic. "Maura! Shush! Stop talking!"

Lips now pursed. _Mother f... phooey..._

Jane waited. Maura didn't say anything.

"Look, it's just... I broke up with him _over the phone_... a phone conversation in which you traumatised him by talking about my period and blood clots, may I remind you..."

Maura immediately looked smugly satisfied.

"... I just think he deserves me talking to him... you know, in person... for a little while at least."

Maura didn't say anything.

"You know, just so I can... talk to him."

Silence.

"About stuff."

More silence.

"Like... what's been happening lately, and..."

Even _more_ silence. Okay, what the hell? Were Maura's lips glued together or something? Jane was sure she had never _ever_ been this quiet before.

"Uh, Maura?"

She looked at Jane questioningly.

"Is that okay?"

She nodded.

"Okay." Jane grabbed the coffee and started slowly walking out of the kitchen, looking over her shoulder.

Maura didn't say anything.

Jane stopped abruptly (only just avoiding bumping into the doorframe, she noticed later). "Okay, why aren't you talking?"

"Oh, I'm _allowed_ to talk now, am I?"

_So pissed._

_So, SO pissed._

_R&IR&IR&I_

"Um, I brought your coffee. Black, right? One sugar?"

She had honestly had to wrack her brains for a good few minutes to remember his very simple coffee preference. Meanwhile Maura's 698 step process for the ideal coffee, she had down pat. Go figure.

"Right. Thank you." He looked up from his place on the couch as he took the coffee, deliberately brushing his fingers against hers. She flushed slightly, casually flicking her hair forward to attempt to hide the hickey on her neck as she headed over to sit on the orange ottoman.

Maura, on the other hand, had obviously darted to the bedroom and changed in the 2.5 seconds since Jane left the kitchen, as she now walked out wearing a scoop neck blouse... _with_ her hair tied up.

Yup, cause that wasn't obvious _at all._

Jane could now see three separate bite marks.

Oh. Maura turned. Make that four. Five.

Heh heh.

Uh, that is to say... whoops.

She flushed as Casey cleared his throat awkwardly. "Uh... so how's the new relationship going, Maura?"

She looked at him innocently, as though she had no idea what he was talking about.

Jane narrowed her eyes. She wasn't fooled for an instant.

"New relationship?"

"Yes, the uh..." he gestured vaguely, "the...you have... it, uh... it looks like you had a good weekend."

"Oh, I did. My new lover is... hmm... oh, shall I say, rather insatiable?"

Casey cleared his throat again, eyes darting about nervously.

"In fact, if I may be so bold... I daresay we are going to have a very satisfying sex life. Well, depending on how _today _goes, of course."

Yup, Jane reaffirmed her opinion. Maura had _definitely_ been taking subtlety lessons from Angela.

As subtle as a freakin' runaway locomotive.

Oh, and also? _Unbelievably_ pissed.

"Uh, Maura..." Jane started awkwardly.

Maura ignored her. "I mean, we must have made love at least 15-20 times over the space of a single weekend. Considering we didn't start until Saturday afternoon... but I suppose that's the good thing about women, we can just keep going."

Casey spluttered slightly. Jane was fairly certain his face was going to burst into flame soon, with how red it was getting. "Oh. Oh! So your relationship is... it's with a woman then?"

"Oh, yes. I've been in many relationships with women before."

Now it was Jane's turn to splutter.

_Many_ relationships?

_What. The. Fuck._

"Oh, um. That's... good... then."

"Yes, while I don't like labels as a whole, I do tend to find that I lean more towards pansexuality than anything else."

"Pansexuality?"

Oh, and now Casey looked curious. Awesome.

"Pansexuality simply means that I am not restricted in who I find attractive. Pan comes from an Ancient Greek term, meaning 'all' or 'every'. A person who identifies themselves as pansexual can find themselves attracted to people of all gender identities and biological sexes."

"Does that mean that you could theoretically become attracted to a transsexual?" Casey leaned forward curiously.

Jane rolled her eyes. Of course she...

"Yes."

...could. Wait, really?

"Really?"

"Of course, Jane. Pansexual people do not really see people as specific 'genders', more as simply 'people'. Essentially, it is a more inclusive version of the term 'bisexuality'."

"How come I've only ever seen you dating men then? Oh wait, unless one of those men was actually a chick..." Jane wrinkled her nose slightly. It wasn't that the thought disgusted her... some people were born into the wrong bodies, simple as that... it was just that she personally wasn't attracted to the idea of dating someone who still had the incorrect 'bits' for the gender they identified with.

"No, Jane. They were all men. And I haven't dated any women... since I met you."

Jane cleared her throat. Okay, dangerous territory, dangerous territory... rewind, rewind, rewind.

She was planning on telling Casey about her and Maura, but perhaps not with Maura acting so... Maura-esque. _Cranky_ Maura-esque.

Oh, and perhaps not with her sitting on the corner of the couch, covered in Jane-bites.

"Maura... um. Do you want to, maybe... go pick up the pets now?"

Maura turned to her, smiling. Jane recoiled. Danger smile, danger smile, abort, abort.

"Um. Or, you know... you could wait."

She winced. Maura's smile had widened slightly.

"Okay, Jane."

_And she... wait, what? Okay? She said okay?_

"Okay?" Jane repeated blankly.

"Okay, I'll go pick up the pets."

"You... will?" _Trap, trap, there's a trap, abort, abort, ABORT FOR GOD'S SAKE!_

"Certainly. In fact, it's a good idea."

"It is?"

"Yes. Definitely. They will be missing us a great deal, so it really isn't fair to make them wait any longer than necessary."

"Okay..." Jane began slowly, still trying to figure out on a scale of one to youareneverhavingsexagain how cranky Maura was.

"I'll see you soon?"

"Of course."

Maura stood and walked over to Jane and stroked her hair gently, then, without warning, leant down and practically raped her mouth.

_It's not rape if it's consensual..._

Jane moaned into the kiss, her fingers attempting to tangle into Maura's tied up hair as their tongues battled for dominance.

_Uh, Jane. Helloooo, calling Jane Rizzoli. Someone else is here... Casey? Ringing any bells?_

"Right!" Jane said, pulling away, trying and failing to control her panting. "Um. So. See you soon."

Maura smiled.

Casey blinked at both of them.

_Right, so what would that be on the scale of one to youareneverhavingsexagain? Angry sex? _

_Mm, angry sex._

"Uh, so... her new girlfriend is _you_ then?"

_Right, Casey's here._

"Uh."

_Very intelligent, Jane._

_R&IR&IR&I_

_This is a nightmare._

_A fucking bona fide nightmare._

"I made a mistake."

_Yup. Gonna wake up soon._

"I want you back."

_Dum de dum, gonna wake up soon._

"Jane?"

_Fuck._

"Yes?"

"I just..." he sighed heavily, "I know you broke up with me because I wasn't respectful enough of you... of your opinions. I would like the opportunity to prove to you that... I've changed."

"Casey, I..."

"I know you're... you know... with Maura. But, I think if you give me a chance..."

"I never orgasmed with you."

_Oh really? REALLY? That's what you choose to say?_

He looked taken aback. "Oh. I... um. Are you sure? Cause it looked like..."

"I faked it."

_CAN YOU PLEASE INSTALL A FILTER SOMEHOW? COME ON BRAIN, HELP ME OUT._

"You... faked it."

"I don't have to fake it with Maura."

Casey's mouth dropped open. "Um. Right, well... I wish you'd told me, but that's definitely something that we can... you know, work on together." He leaned forward, taking Jane's hands in his own. "Couples don't always have amazing sex chemistry... you know, it's not like the movies. Sometimes... you need to work at it a little." He smiled sheepishly, his eyes looking a little bit desperate. "We can have fun trying at least?"

"Right... but..." Jane took a deep breath, "I just... I don't really _want _to try."

He shook his head. "What?"

"Casey... what you and I had... it was good. It was sweet, and you were... you _are_ a good man. But Maura's right. I changed when I was around you. I tried to be someone else. Being with Maura..." she shrugged, "I'm able to just be... _me._ Jane Rizzoli. Not Jane Rizzoli: girlfriend or Jane Rizzoli: lover, or even Jane Rizzoli: cop. I'm just... _me._ We have this... amazing bond that..."

"It's always been there," Casey sighed heavily, seeming to deflate.

Jane blinked. "What?"

He pulled his hands back and stared down at his lap. "First time I met you... you know, _again, _after high school... I... I wondered. About you and her."

"You did?"

"Yes." He shrugged. "I guess I always knew this was coming. I just... I wanted to put up a fight."

Jane realized that her own hands were still hanging out in mid air and belatedly pulled them back. "Oh."

"I still love you, Jane."

"I..."

"I just... I didn't want to feel like I'd just... let you go."

Jane moved to sit next to him on the couch. "You didn't let me go. I just... I was never yours to begin with. I'm sorry I didn't realize it earlier."

He smiled at her, and as she watched, his gaze travelled to the picture that was behind her on the wall. He stood up and examined it closely.

"After that marathon you told me about," he commented.

She stood up to look at the picture too. "Yes." It didn't seem to be a question, but Jane replied anyway.

"If I'd asked you to wear something that had the letters 'P.U.K.E.' written on it, would you..."

"Hell no." Jane bit her tongue almost instantly.

"Right." He looked at the picture. "Right." He turned to look at her. "I will always love you, Jane."

"I know."

She didn't look away from the picture until she heard his footsteps retreating and the front door click shut behind him.

_R&IR&IR&I_

"JO! BASS!" Jane sat on the floor and held her arms out. Jo ran helter skelter into her arms, licking her everywhere. Bass, meanwhile, walked (slowly) straight past her. "OI! Bass!"

"I think he's looking for Casey," Maura said, leaning against the doorframe.

"Casey's gone."

Oh, look at that, suddenly Jane had a tortoise rubbing his head lovingly up against her side.

"He's gone?"

"I sent him away."

Maura looked at the floor. "I thought... maybe..."

Jane stood up. "You thought...?"

Maura shrugged. "You used to love him."

Jane stepped over one huge tortoise and side stepped an excited terrier to be closer to Maura. "I used to _think_ I loved him."

"You... you did?"

Jane wrapped her arms around a slender waist. "You know, he knew I loved you before I even knew it."

"He did?"

"Yep."

"Really?"

"Yep."

"Smart man."

"Indeedy-O, Doctor Smartypants." Jane leaned down, intent on claiming the lips in front of her when suddenly,

"Oh, I probably should tell you. Ian's back in town."

Jane stopped, her eyes narrowing. "What?"

Maura blinked.

Jane studied her. "You're kidding, aren't you?"

Maura grinned. "Yes."

"I hate you."

"I love you too."

END CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

_I'll say it again: the story is for fun: don't like, don't read. Can't leave a review that is kind and/or politely constructive? Don't leave any, and, if you do want to bash me a bit, strap your balls on and sign in to leave a review so that I can reply to you. :-)_

_That being said, THANK YOU for the politely worded constructive criticisms I have been occasionally receiving! Gratefully received and worked on :-D And thank you for the reviews in general! :-D They cheer me up no end :-D_

_I know some of you wanted me to kill or seriously injure Casey (lol!) but I just couldn't... in my head, he's still a fairly decent bloke. A bloke who's made some bad choices and unfair demands, but he's human, aka not perfect._

_Also, I'm pretty certain that there will only be about two chapters left of this. Maybe 3. It's been a fun ride! Feel free to start sending me ideas of one shot sex scenes that I can try my hand at for some M-rated writing practice! :-P_

_Now to end... as Ellen says (YAY SASHA ON ELLEN), be kind to one another :-D_

_Much love xoxo_


	33. Chapter 32

_Uh, so... that stuff I said about there only being 2-3 chapters left? Yeah, forget that. I'll stick with my original thing of 3-8, which, by now, is closer to 1-6. Except it definitely won't be just one. What can I say, people gave me ideas for continuation of the story. Won't stretch it out too far though... I don't want it to be COMPLETELY ridiculous. Or have I already passed that milestone? haha_

_Next chapter might be a little while coming... I want to go back through previous chapters, read them and fix up any continuity errors that pop out at me and I need to do it soon, before the 'life' runs out on them... This is something I'd normally do before I posted, but of course this has been a post-as-I-type kind of story, so I kind of missed that step. So please be patient. :-) I promise not to take TOO long. :-)_

**_MAURA'S POV FOR THIS ONE_**

_ONTO THE CHAPTER_

*****CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO*****

Joanna visibly startled and looked up with wide eyed as Maura burst into the pet hostel.

"Um. Hi... Doctor Isles."

"Bass. Jo."

Maura's hands were clenched into fists by her side. She couldn't remember unclenching them since she had left home, so she wasn't quite sure how she had managed to drive... but that was hardly important at the current time.

"Uh, yes, you're coming to pick them up?"

"I need to see them first."

"Oh, of course. They're perfectly fine, by the way... Sheryl just arrived and she attended to them immediately. I rather think," Joanna added in a stage whisper, "that they are her favourites now."

"They are very social creatures, assuming they take a liking to the person who is attempting to bond with them. Jo Friday, in particular, is like this. I think this is because she is a dog, and dogs are generally, when raised well and loved deeply, very kind and sociable animals. Bass, being a tortoise, is somewhat different... he is a bit more selective when it comes to people he likes. He is, however, exceptionally loyal once he decides he does like a person," Maura told her absently, straining her neck as she attempted to see down the hallway to the room she had now come to think of as 'her room'. Well, perhaps it would be more accurate to call it hers _and_ Jane's, seeing as how they seemed to visit the pets an equal amount of times, but that was not the case in point here.

"Oh, well I definitely think they have taken a liking to Sheryl. Bass practically smiles when she walks in and Jo near wags her tail off."

"Both of those are physical impossibilities."

Joanna opened her mouth and quickly shut it again, looking confused. "Oh."

"Bass does not possess the facial muscles necessary to approximate the appearance of a smile or pleased expression, and Jo's tail is connected by skin, muscle and bone. Unless she was, perhaps, swung about by her tail, or attacked with a weapon of some kind, the tail would not simply 'come off'. Besides the fact that if it _were_ somehow close to detaching, the pain caused would be enough to stop her making the 'wagging' motion that would be exacerbating the injury."

"Uh. Of course. I..."

"Can I please see Bass and Jo now?"

Joanna looked taken aback.

"I apologize for interrupting you. I just... I need to talk to them."

Joanna nodded quickly. "Of course. My apologies."

She led Maura down the hallway to the usual room. When Maura walked in, she immediately noticed the two open travel crates. Bass was lying in his, looking quite comfortable, and Jo rested beside him. Both had their eyes closed, but as soon as they heard the door, Bass opened his eyes and stood up, while Jo immediately bounded to her feet and walked into her crate, yipping happily.

"Hi Bass. Hi Jo." Simultaneously, both animals looked at their open crate doors.

"Um. Not yet."

They looked at her curiously.

"I want to talk." She felt hot tears building behind her eyes without warning, and looked at the ceiling in a desperate attempt to bid them away.

Bass came out of his crate and rubbed against her ankle lovingly. Jo hesitated, looking around with longing at her travel crate, but quickly bounded forward too, lavishing Maura's mismatched shoes (one blue and one red... apparently, she had trouble matching when she was angry and upset) with doggy saliva.

"Casey's back."

Jo growled. Bass hissed.

"I know. I..." she sniffed, wiping at a tear that had streaked rebelliously down her cheek.

Bass rubbed against her again. Jo began to lovingly lap at Maura's toes, making her jerk. Jo looked up at her, seeming affronted by the reaction, tilted her head and resumed her attention to Maura's shoes instead. Maura watched her for a minute before saying anything further.

"I, uh... I... sort of... I kissed Jane in front of Casey."

Bass and Jo lifted their heads to look at her. Jo still had her tongue hanging partway out of her mouth.

"I... um. I also... changed into... this blouse. And wore it in front of him. To... you know... show off the marks that Jane left on me this weekend."

Bass closed his eyes. Jo's tail went between her legs.

"It was a good weekend!" Maura protested.

Bass disappeared inside his shell.

"Fine, I won't tell you the details. But... well... it was more than satisfactory, let's put it this way."

A hiss sounded from inside the shell. Jo whined slightly.

Maura sighed, stroking Jo as she waited for Bass to make a reappearance. When he did (staring at her somewhat suspiciously, she might add), she bit her lip. "What if she wants to go back to him?"

Bass nipped at her ankle.

"Ow! Bass!"

He glanced up, looking as unrepentant as a tortoise can look. Jo started licking the red marks on her ankles but Bass bumped her lightly and she stopped.

"Okay! I just... I know it's ridiculous, but what if... what if Jane decides... I mean, a relationship with a woman isn't easy. Prejudice is unfortunately still all too common in today's society, and what if..."

Bass took one look at her, looked up at the ceiling and slowly turned around, walking into his crate. He let out a snort, and Jo quickly bounded into her crate too.

Maura looked between the two of them. "Alright. I suppose the only way I'll find out is to go back and talk to her." She stood up, patting the tops of both crates. "Bass... Jo... Let's go home."

_R&IR&IR&I_

Jane stood at the front door, looking out at the two pets curiously. "Uh, Maura... why have they gone back into their crates?"

Maura wrapped her arms around Jane's waist from behind, resting her chin on the shoulder in front of her. "I don't know."

"Is it the new furniture, or...?"

"I don't think so. I've had new furniture before and Bass has certainly never reacted this way." Carefully moving Jane to the side so she could get through, Maura stepped forward and knelt down in front of Bass' crate.

"Are you going to come back inside, Bass? We missed you."

"Yeah, you too Jo, you little nutball."

Maura looked over her shoulder. "Jo Friday is very intelligent, Jane; you really shouldn't insult her."

Jane lowered her beer. "Hey, what now? Who's insulting? It just means she's a part of the family. I'm a nutball... Ma's a nutball... Frankie and Tommy and nutballs... you're _definitely_ a nutball..."

Maura stood up. "_I'm_ a nutball, am I?"

"Yes, you are indeed a nutball."

"You're a nutball."

Jane grinned as Maura approached her. "I think I already covered that I am a nutball too, yes."

"Is nutball beginning to not sound like a real word to you too?"

"Nutball _isn't_ a real word, Maura, you should know that better than anyone."

"So stop saying it then."

Jane put her beer down on the nearest surface and reached out, settling her hands comfortably on Maura's waist, while Maura wrapped her arms around Jane's neck. "You first."

Maura smiled as she tilted her head up. "No, you."

"You..." Jane leaned down, her lips mere centimetres away when Bass hissed indignantly.

Maura turned her head to look at him.

Jo yipped, baring her tiny little teeth.

Maura looked back at Jane.

"Uh," Jane scratched the back of her head, "you think this is their way of telling us to get a room?"

Maura laughed. "Possibly."

"Well," Jane said and stooped, throwing Maura over her shoulder in a very undignified way, "we better do what they say then!"

Maura squeaked indignantly as Jane bounced her way up the stairs.

_R&IR&IR&I_

"Um... you have grown... somewhat more confident... since the first time we did this..." Maura gasped as Jane slowly stripped in front of her.

"Well, what can I say..." Jane crawled over the top of her wearing only her bra and boy shorts, "the amount of sex we had over the weekend... what did you say, 15-20 times?"

"I, uh... I thought it might have been closer to 25, but I didn't want to appear as though I was gloating _too_ much..."

Jane threw her head back and laughed. "Yes, I'm sure that _that_ was your main concern... when you were talking about our sex lives and showing off the marks I made on you."

"That part wasn't deliberate."

"Hives, Maura. Don't lie. It was very," she kissed Maura's neck, "very," her collarbone, "_very _deliberate. You knew _exactly_ what that blouse would show off."

Maura gasped as Jane mouth made a beeline for her breast. "Uh... possibly..." she threaded her fingers through Jane's hair and arched her back as Jane started suckling on her nipple, "but I admit to nothing."

Jane laughed again, the noise muffled against Maura's skin. "Of course you don't." She flicked at the waistband to Maura's pants. "Now you, my dear Dr Isles, are still wearing far too many clothes."

Maura bit her lip as she felt a sudden wave of arousal wash over her at the formal title. "You too, Detective Rizzoli."

Jane grinned devilishly, moving down Maura's body and taking the waistband of the pants in her teeth, slowly pulling it down. Maura groaned, lifting her hips to help. When Jane reached her underwear, she adjusted her mouthful so as to pull them down at the same time. Maura gripped the sheets desperately as finally, _finally_ her skin was freed from the restricting cotton, and, as soon as Jane moved back up her body, she reached around and undid the clasp on her bra, sliding it off even as her other hand pulled frantically at the boy shorts, sliding them down too.

"_God_, Maura..." Jane started nipping at her neck again.

"Remember... marks..." Maura muttered, even as she bared her neck for easy access.

"Don't give a fuck..."

"Language... oh _fuuuuck..."_

Jane grinned. "I love that you swear during sex."

"Do not," Maura gasped. "_Oh fuck_, don't stop..."

"Do too." Jane resumed her attention on Maura's neck when suddenly...

_Knock, knock, knock._

Maura sat up, narrowly avoiding having a head-on-head collision with Jane as she looked at the uncovered windows guiltily. "Do you think someone saw us?"

Jane groaned, throwing herself back on the bed. "We're on the second storey, Maura, I think someone would need to be 15 feet tall to accidentally look in the windows."

"Did you know the tallest man in the world is 8ft, 3in tall? His name is Sultan Kösen and he has a condition known as pituitary giganti..."

_Knock, knock, knock._

Maura stopped and pulled the covers up, hiding under them.

"Maura!"

"Can you go get the door, please?" Maura examined her nails. She really needed to cut them soon. She usually did it every two days, but she was thrown off by the weekend's...

_Knock, knock, knock._

"Jane! Please!"

"Fine, fine..." Maura felt the bed move as Jane got up with a sigh. She heard a quiet swish of material (she assumed Jane was pulling on the robe that Maura generally left hung up near the door), and then quiet footsteps down the hall and down the stairs.

She waited.

"MAURA!"

She jumped.

"THIS ISN'T FUNNY."

She peeked out from beneath the covers.

"MAURA!"

She bit her lip, then quickly got up and, looking cautiously out the window, quickly threw on her pants and Jane's BPD shirt. She headed down the stairs.

Jane stood at the bottom, hand on her hip. "You are _so_ not funny. Why did you invite him here? Is it payback? I didn't _want _Casey to come over!"

"Invite who?"

She walked to the door.

_Oh my... REALLY?_

"Hi Ian."

END CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

_Okay, so this has now definitely and officially reached the point of ridiculousness, right? haha, sorry, couldn't resist._

_Also, I HAS A LITTLE SCROLLY BAR THINGY. With my chapters? The scrolly thingy? You have to scroll down to see the latest chapters. *nods proudly* I've never had a scrolly bar thingy. LONGEST STORY YET. You know it's nearly 70,000 words, right? On my word document that is. That means that only like 50,000 of the words here are author's notes. LOL_

_Love to all! xoxo_


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